scholarly journals The Associations of Early Sport Specialization and Training Volume with Injury Rates in NCAA Division I Athletes

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3_suppl2) ◽  
pp. 2325967119S0019
Author(s):  
Seth Ahlquist ◽  
Brian Michael Cash ◽  
Sharon L. Hame
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
Sport Participation ◽  
Division I ◽  
Multiple Injuries ◽  
Training Volume ◽  
Time Out ◽  
Division I Athletes ◽  
Surgical Injuries ◽  
Surgical Injury

Objectives: Sixty million United States youth ages 6-18 participate in organized athletics, with large increases in both sport participation and specialization in the past two decades. This study seeks to determine whether early specialization in a single sport and high training volume is associated with an increased risk of injury and surgery in NCAA Division I athletes. A secondary aim is to assess whether sport specialization and high training volume is associated with elite athletic status (i.e. being recruited and/or receiving athletic scholarships). Methods: All NCAA Division I athletes at a single institution were sent a voluntary survey by email. Athletes were surveyed regarding demographics, scholarship status, reasons for sport specialization, age of specialization, training volume, and injury/surgical history. A total of 232 out of 652 athletes completed some portion of the survey. 30 surveys were excluded due to incomplete or incorrect survey completion, leaving 202 surveys available for analysis. Injuries were defined as those which precluded sport participation for > 1 week. Early sport specialization was defined as narrowing participation to one primary sport prior to age 14. High training volume was defined as greater than 28 hours per week during pre-high school years. Exclusion criteria included incomplete surveys and individuals less than age 18. Chi-square, Fisher’s Exact, and Mann-Whitney U tests were performed to establish significant differences. Results: Individuals who specialized in their varsity sport prior to age 14 were more likely to report a history of injury (86.9 vs. 74.0%, X = 4.7, p = .03), multiple injuries (64.6 vs. 49.4%, X = 4.2, p = .04), multiple college injuries (17.2 vs. 6.5%, X = 4.5, p = .03), total injuries (2 vs. 1, U = 3035, p = .02), and total time out for injury (15.2 vs. 7.0 weeks, U = 3150, p = .05). Early specializers were more likely to be recruited (92.9 vs. 83.1%, X = 4.1, p = .04) and receive a scholarship in their varsity sport (82.8 vs. 67.5%, X = 5.6, p =.02). Full scholarship athletes were more likely to report multiple surgical injuries (11.7 vs. 3.5%, X = 5.0, p =.03). Those with a scholarships greater than 50% were more likely to report a surgical injury (34.1 vs. 18.3%, X = 6.5, p = .01). Individuals who trained for greater than 28 hours per week in their varsity sport prior to high school were more likely to report multiple injuries (90.0 vs. 56.7%, X = 4.3, p = .04) multiple college injuries (40.0% vs. 14.0%, p = .05), a surgical injury (60.0 vs. 21.7%, p = .01), multiple surgical injuries (30.0 vs. 4.5%, p = .02), and greater total time out for injury (36.5 vs. 11.0 weeks, U = 424, p = .02). Individuals with a pre-high school training volume greater than 28 hours/week in their varsity sport were not more likely to be recruited (90.0 vs. 89.8%, p = 1.0) or receive a scholarship (80.0 vs. 74.5%, p = 1.0). Those in non-contact varsity sports were more likely to report multiple college injuries than those in limited and full contact sports, respectively (20.4 vs. 6.4 vs. 8.8%, X = 7.0, p = .03). Those in individual sports were more likely to report a college injury (55.3 vs. 38.9%, X = 5.1, p = .02) and multiple college injuries (25.0 vs. 7.1%, X = 12.7, p &lt .001). Conclusion: NCAA Division I athletes who specialized in their varsity sport prior to age 14 were more likely to be recruited and receive an athletic scholarship. However, these individuals, as well as those with high training volume prior to high school, had increased rates of injury and injuries requiring surgery.

scholarly journals Associations of Early Sport Specialization and High Training Volume With Injury Rates in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Athletes

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 232596712090682 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seth Ahlquist ◽  
Brian M. Cash ◽  
Sharon L. Hame
Keyword(s):  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
Sport Participation ◽  
National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽  
Division I ◽  
Multiple Injuries ◽  
Training Volume ◽  
Level Of Evidence ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Time Out ◽  
Division I Athletes

Background: There are 60 million US youth who participate in organized athletics, with large increases in both sport participation and specialization during the past 2 decades. There is some evidence that increased sport specialization and training volumes may be associated with increased injuries in adolescent populations. This study examines these variables in a population of elite college athletes. Hypothesis: Early sport specialization (ESS) and a high training volume are risk factors for injury and/or surgery in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I athletes. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: All Division I athletes at a single institution were surveyed regarding demographics, scholarship status, reason for specialization, age at specialization, training volume, and injury history. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests were performed to identify significant differences. Results: Athletes who specialized in their eventual varsity sport before age 14 years were more likely to report a history of injuries (86.9% vs 71.4%), multiple injuries (64.6% vs 48.8%), multiple college injuries (17.2% vs 6.0%), a greater number of total injuries (2.0 vs 1.0), and require more time out for an injury (15.2 vs 6.5 weeks) than those who did not. They were also more likely to be recruited (92.9% vs 82.1%) and receive a scholarship (82.8% vs 67.9%). Athletes who trained for greater than 28 hours per week in their eventual varsity sport before high school were more likely to report multiple injuries (90.0% vs 56.3%), multiple college injuries (40.0% vs 12.5%), a surgical injury (60.0% vs 22.9%), multiple surgical injuries (30.0% vs 4.7%), a greater number of total injuries (2.5 vs 2.0), and more time out for an injury (36.5 vs 11.0 weeks) than those who did not (all P < .05). However, these athletes were not more likely to be recruited (90.0% vs 89.8%) or receive a scholarship (80.0% vs 74.5%). Conclusion: NCAA Division I athletes with ESS and/or a high training volume sustained more injuries and missed more time because of an injury, but those with ESS were more likely to be recruited and receive a college scholarship. This knowledge can help inform discussions and decision making among athletes, parents, coaches, trainers, and physicians.

scholarly journals High School Sport Specialization Patterns of Current Division I Athletes

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 148-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric G. Post ◽  
Jill M. Thein-Nissenbaum ◽  
Mikel R. Stiffler ◽  
M. Alison Brooks ◽  
David R. Bell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Grade Level ◽  
Injury Risk ◽  
Sport Participation ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Sport Performance ◽  
Division I ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Level Of Evidence ◽  
Division I Athletes

Background: Sport specialization is a strategy to acquire superior sport performance in 1 sport but is associated with increased injury risk. Currently, the degree of high school specialization among Division I athletes is unknown. Hypothesis: College athletes will display increased rates of specialization as they progress through their high school careers. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiological study. Level of Evidence: Level 4. Methods: Three hundred forty-three athletes (115 female) representing 9 sports from a Midwest Division I University completed a previously utilized sport specialization questionnaire regarding sport participation patterns for each grade of high school. McNemar and chi-square tests were used to investigate associations of grade, sport, and sex with prevalence of sport specialization category (low, moderate, high) (a priori P ≤ 0.05). Results: Specialization increased throughout high school, with 16.9% (n = 58) and 41.1% (n = 141) of athletes highly specialized in 9th and 12th grades, respectively. Football athletes were less likely to be highly specialized than nonfootball athletes for each year of high school ( P < 0.001). There was no difference in degree of specialization between sexes at any grade level ( P > 0.23). Conclusion: The majority of Division I athletes were not classified as highly specialized throughout high school, but the prevalence of high specialization increased as athletes progressed through high school. Nonfootball athletes were more likely to be highly specialized than football athletes at each grade level. Clinical Relevance: Most athletes who are recruited to participate in collegiate athletics will eventually specialize in their sport, but it does not appear that early specialization is necessary to become a Division I athlete. Athletes should be counseled regarding safe participation in sport during high school to minimize injury and maximize performance.

scholarly journals Not Going Pro: On Seeking Lasting Returns from College Sports

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Horner ◽  
Neal Ternes ◽  
Christopher McLeod
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
Capital Investment ◽  
Student Athletes ◽  
Sport Participation ◽  
National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽  
Collegiate Athletics ◽  
Division I ◽  
Personal Investment

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) clearly states there are many favorable qualities derived from participation that benefit those “who go pro in something other than sports.” However, the ability of collegiate athletics to deliver on the promise of attributable long-term vocational value is rarely questioned. Instead, student-athletes are encouraged to think of their participation as a personal investment with enduring rewards for the investor. In this study involving former NCAA Division I student-athletes, the authors examined whether participation can be regarded as an investment and how student-athletes perceive the returns thus derived. Extending Becker’s (1962) theory of human capital investment to sport participation, the authors probed participants’ experiences for evidence of investment thinking and lasting benefits in corporeal, economic, social, and cultural varieties. The findings support the notion that participation in collegiate athletics can be broadly defined as an investment, but not in accordance with the long-term utility maximizing rationale described by neoclassical economists. Furthermore, the high cost of participation, inherent uncertainty, and unreliable information confound the athlete’s decision-making and blur the distinction between consumption in the present and investing for the future.

Centre of pressure velocity shows impairments in NCAA Division I athletes six months post-concussion during standing balance

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (23) ◽  
pp. 2677-2687
Author(s):  
Moira K. Pryhoda ◽  
Kevin B. Shelburne ◽  
Kim Gorgens ◽  
Aurélie Ledreux ◽  
Ann-Charlotte Granholm ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
Standing Balance ◽  
Division I ◽  
Centre Of Pressure ◽  
Division I Athletes

Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors in High School and NCAA Division I Football Players

2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
pp. 1749-1757 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary D. Steffes ◽  
Alex E. Megura ◽  
James Adams ◽  
Randal P. Claytor ◽  
Rose M. Ward ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
High School ◽  
Metabolic Syndrome ◽  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
Division I ◽  
Football Players ◽  
Division I Football

Perceptions of the Importance of Training, Experience, and Athletic Talent for Achievement in Sports

2003 ◽  
Vol 96 (2) ◽  
pp. 379-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randy Hyllegard ◽  
Laurie McElroy ◽  
Wendi Krejca
Keyword(s):  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
Division I ◽  
Training Experience ◽  
Division I Athletes

Ratings by 97 NCAA Division I athletes showed belief that successful athletes benefit more from training and experience and athletic talent than less successful athletes.

scholarly journals Return to Sport After Hip Arthroscopy for Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome in NCAA Division I Athletes: Experience at a Single Institution

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 232596712091838
Author(s):  
Alexander E. Weber ◽  
Haley Nakata ◽  
Eric N. Mayer ◽  
Ioanna K. Bolia ◽  
Marc J. Philippon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
Hip Arthroscopy ◽  
Return To Sport ◽  
Collegiate Athletes ◽  
Endurance Athletes ◽  
Division I ◽  
Labral Repair ◽  
Sport Type ◽  
History Of ◽  
Division I Athletes

Background: The rate of return to sport after surgical treatment of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome (FAIS) has been studied in high-level athletes. However, few studies examining this rate have focused exclusively on National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I athletes. Purpose: To evaluate the return-to-sport rate after hip arthroscopy for FAIS and to examine the influence of sport type on the clinical presentation of FAIS in collegiate athletes. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Included in this study were NCAA Division I student-athletes who underwent hip arthroscopy for FAIS at our institution between 2010 and 2017. Exclusion criteria were history of previous hip pathology, pediatric hip disease, radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis (Tönnis grade >0), prior lower extremity procedure, history of chronic pain, osteoporosis, or history of systemic inflammatory disease. Athletes were categorized into 6 subgroups based on the type of sport (cutting, contact, endurance, impingement, asymmetric/overhead, and flexibility) by using a previously reported classification system. Patient characteristics and preoperative, intraoperative, and return-to-sport variables were compared among sport types. Results: A total of 49 hip arthroscopies for FAIS were performed in 39 collegiate athletes (10 females, 29 males; mean age, 19.5 ± 1.3 years). A total of 1 (2.6%) cutting athlete, 15 (38.5%) contact athletes, 8 (20.5%) impingement athletes, 6 (15.4%) asymmetric/overhead athletes, and 9 (23.1%) endurance athletes were included in the study. There were no differences among sports groups with respect to the FAI type. Endurance athletes had lower rates of femoral osteochondroplasty (45.5%) and labral debridement (0.0%) ( P < .0001). Contact sport athletes had higher rates of labral debridement (50.0%; P < .0001). Patients were evaluated for return to sport at an average of 1.96 ± 0.94 years. Overall, the return-to-sport rate was 89.7%. There were no differences in return-to-sport rates based on the sport type except for endurance athletes, who returned at a lower rate (66.6%; P < .001). No differences in return-to-sport rate ( P = .411), duration after return ( P = .265), or highest attempted level of sport resumed ( P = .625) were found between patients who underwent labral repair versus debridement. Conclusion: Collegiate-level athletes who underwent hip arthroscopy for FAIS returned to sport at high and predictable rates, with endurance athletes possibly returning to sport at lower rates than all other sport types. Surgical procedures may be influenced by sport type, but the rate of return to sport between athletes who underwent labral debridement versus labral repair was similar.

Psychological Skills Training in NCAA Division I Athletics: Are Athletes Ready for Change?

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 317-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
William V. Massey ◽  
Stacy L. Gnacinski ◽  
Barbara B. Meyer
Keyword(s):  
Transtheoretical Model ◽  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽  
Readiness To Change ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Decisional Balance ◽  
Division I ◽  
Psychological Skills ◽  
Psychological Skills Training ◽  
Division I Athletes

Research has demonstrated the efficacy of psychological skills training (PST), yet many athletes do not appear ready to do whatever it takes to improve the mental aspects of performance. Although the transtheoretical model of behavior change (TTM), generally, and readiness to change, specifically, have received considerable attention in a range of allied health fields, few studies have been conducted to examine this construct in applied sport psychology. The purpose of the current study was to examine National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I athletes’ readiness for PST as it relates to their stage of change, decisional balance, self-efficacy, and use of processes of change. The data trends observed in the current study were consistent with the theoretical underpinnings of the TTM as well as previous research on NCAA Division I athletes. The results of the current study highlight the need to consider readiness to change when designing and implementing PST interventions.

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