Teens’ Knowledge of Risk Factors for Sports Injuries

Youth participation in sports has increased greatly over the past 20 years. Consequently, there has been a rise in the number of sports injuries. A study was conducted to determine teen’s level of physical activity, knowledge about risk factors for sports injuries, use of protective equipment, and parental involvement. Two groups of teens, one of which was required to take a physical education class, were given a self-administered, written survey. The study found that the teens in this small Virginia town have a high level of involvement in sports and other physical activity and good general knowledge of sports injury prevention. Improvement is needed in the use of protective equipment when participating in informal sports activities and in the provision of sports injury prevention education to parents. As advocates for student health, school nurses are in a unique position to educate students, parents, staff, and the community about prevention of sports-related injuries.