As mentioned in the ‘problem’ section of our OER, injuries in youth tend to happen during physical education, organized sports, or casual physical activity (Sollerhed et al, 2020, p.2). Is there a way to avoid this through injury prevention youth education? Between the three categories where youth injure themselves, the most logical place to integrate this education is within the Physical Education curriculum. Currently, the only mention of sports injury prevention in BC’s K-12 Curriculum is in Active Living 11 and 12, along with Dance Conditioning (BC MOE, n.d.). Should there be an introduction to educational injury prevention earlier in youth education, and how can wearable technology support this? For the scope of the OER, let’s focus on how wearables can assist with injury prevention education versus evaluating the curriculum.
Micheli et al (2000) have identified through research multiple elements that are frequent factors for injuries, a few of these are at the ‘pre-participation’ stage including: inadequate preparticipation physical exams, conditioning and training errors, poor nutrition, or playing while injured or overtired (p.822). In this section, we will look at wearable technology that can create an early intervention and inform a learner to potentially avoid future injury before participation. Here are a few examples as to how wearable technologies are being applied to athletes. Could these be implemented with youth? Let’s take a look a how wearables could support a couple of these frequent injury factors.
Micheli et al (2000) have identified through research multiple elements that are frequent factors for injuries, a few of these are at the ‘pre-participation’ stage including: inadequate preparticipation physical exams, conditioning and training errors, poor nutrition, or playing while injured or overtired (p.822). In this section, we will look at wearable technology that can create an early intervention and inform a learner to potentially avoid future injury before participation. Here are a few examples as to how wearable technologies are being applied to athletes. Could these be implemented with youth? Let’s take a look a how wearables could support a couple of these frequent injury factors.
Data collection from wearables ‘off the field’
Most wearables these days collect data, this quantifiable data supports the analysis of an athletic trainer. The data supports the ‘what’ behind the ‘why’ in their decision making as the trainer can then make informed recommendations to the athlete to potentially avoid injury (Zadeh et al., 2021, (p.1032). This data collection can also include time outside their sport, such as the quality of their sleep, their stress levels, and if they are dehydrated.
This is certainly not a short term vision, but could the data collected from a wearable outside the physical education space then inform the physical educator and their students? The physical educator could educate students on how hard they should actively push themselves or not based on these data sources. Most injuries involve one of four main human factors, one of which is ‘fatigue’ (complacency, rushing, and frustration are the other three), and these three data points paint a picture of someone’s fatigue levels. As a long time ski coach, if my learners collected this data it would help inform us on how much risk we should take that day when skiing more difficult terrain.
This is certainly not a short term vision, but could the data collected from a wearable outside the physical education space then inform the physical educator and their students? The physical educator could educate students on how hard they should actively push themselves or not based on these data sources. Most injuries involve one of four main human factors, one of which is ‘fatigue’ (complacency, rushing, and frustration are the other three), and these three data points paint a picture of someone’s fatigue levels. As a long time ski coach, if my learners collected this data it would help inform us on how much risk we should take that day when skiing more difficult terrain.
Biomechanics analysis ‘off the field’
This section pertains to sports that are actively played in ‘uncontrolled’ environments in-field (i.e. skiing, biking, field sports such as soccer, and more). The biomechanics of an athlete can impact the potential for injury while participating in their sport. Particularly in skiing, muscular symmetry is important along with core stability, balance, and coordination (Westin et al., 2020, p.2). A high school in Sweden implemented a ski injury prevention education program, which included “information about identified risk factors for ACL injuries in alpine skiing and the importance of stimulating the skiers to regularly perform the suggested exercises.” (Westin et al., 2020, p.4). How can wearable technology support this?
Currently, wearable sensors are being used both on and off the field to analyze alignment and asymmetry to present injury potential (Adesida et al., 2019). At this stage, implementing on the field sensors is specialized and complex, these sensors are mostly used for high level athletes. However, is there a case for sensors being used at the conditioning stage of young athletes in specialized sport education programs? These sensors can provide feedback on a student’s biomechanics while performing active movements such as lateral bounds or box jumps. The findings can educate the student on their asymmetries or weaknesses and inform their training plan. The outcome would create both a focus on injury prevention strategies and education before performing at a high athletic level, and therefore reducing injury potential at an earlier stage.
This leads to our next section, the solutions wearable technologies can bring to the pre-participation stage of youth physical activity.
Currently, wearable sensors are being used both on and off the field to analyze alignment and asymmetry to present injury potential (Adesida et al., 2019). At this stage, implementing on the field sensors is specialized and complex, these sensors are mostly used for high level athletes. However, is there a case for sensors being used at the conditioning stage of young athletes in specialized sport education programs? These sensors can provide feedback on a student’s biomechanics while performing active movements such as lateral bounds or box jumps. The findings can educate the student on their asymmetries or weaknesses and inform their training plan. The outcome would create both a focus on injury prevention strategies and education before performing at a high athletic level, and therefore reducing injury potential at an earlier stage.
This leads to our next section, the solutions wearable technologies can bring to the pre-participation stage of youth physical activity.