Advancements for the Future: A National Survey of Fastpitch Softball Coaches' Perspectives on Injury Prevention Programming.
Jaime Nurrenbern, Courtney Klueppel, Jeff Tilly and 1 others
PMID 37547836WHAT IT FOUND
Less than half of surveyed softball coaches use injury prevention programs.
Most who do use team-based routines rather than individualized care. Coaches cited uncertainty about which exercises to perform as the primary barrier, not skepticism about effectiveness.
Key findings
0145.9% of responding coaches reported their players participate in an injury prevention program.
02Among coaches who implement programs, 68.8% use team-based routines where every athlete performs the same exercise, compared to 15.2% using individualized programs.
03The most frequently cited barrier to implementation was not knowing which program to perform (53.8%), followed by lack of staff assistance (20.4%).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The response rate was very low (1.2% of those contacted), and the authors note the sample was smaller than anticipated, leading to underpowered results. The survey relied on self-reported data, which may be subject to recall or social desirability bias. College-level coaches represented only 15% of the sample, limiting the ability to draw firm conclusions about differences between high school and college levels. Selection bias is possible due to the reliance on email and internet access.
Declared interests
The survey was developed by physical therapy students and an associate professor. The text does not explicitly state funding sources or conflicts of interest for the authors, but notes the survey was created by students at the Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions and approved by the University of Evansville IRB.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the low implementation rate as evidence that coaches believe injury prevention is ineffective. The primary barrier reported was uncertainty about which program to perform, not skepticism about the value of prevention. Only 4.4% cited previous experience with ineffective programs or beliefs that prevention does not work.