Motivation for sports participation, injury prevention expectations, injury risk perceptions and health problems in youth floorball players

Purpose Describe the motivation for floorball participation, injury prevention expectations, injury risk perceptions and prevalence of health problems in youth floorball players at the start of the season. Methods This cross-sectional survey is part of a larger Sport Without Injury ProgrammE (SWIPE) project and provides baseline data before a cluster randomised controlled trial of an injury prevention program (Knee Control). A baseline survey (online and paper based) was collected from 47 teams with 471 youth floorball players from two provinces of Sweden before the start of the 2017 season. Results The mean age for 140 females and 331 males was 13.7 (+/- 1.5) and 13.3 (+/- 1.0) years, respectively. The two most significant motivators for floorball participation were being part of the team (82% females, 75% males) and friends (65% females, 70% males). Fractures (84% females, 90% males), eye injuries (90% females, 83% males) and concussion (82% females, 83% males) were perceived as the most severe injuries. 93% of players believed that sports injuries can be prevented, while 74% believed it is unlikely that they will sustain an injury. Existing health problems at the beginning of the season were prevalent in 33% of players, with 65% being injuries and 35% illnesses. 17% of existing injuries at the start of the season caused time-loss from play and 17% required medical attention. Conclusion Social aspects were the greatest motivators for floorball participation in youths, suggesting that these factors are important to retain sports participants. The high number of health problems in youth is a concern; as such more effort, resources and priority should be given to sports safety programs. Many players believed that sports injuries can be prevented, possibly providing a fertile ground for implementation of such programs.Funding Agencies|Swedish Research CouncilSwedish Research Council [2015-02414]; Swedish Research Council for Sport Science [P2018-0167]; Australia Awards-Endeavour Fellowship from the Department of Education and Training, Australia