LEVEL OF AWARENESS AND PRACTICE OF SPORT INJURY PREVENTION STRATEGIES AMONG AMATEUR FOOTBALL PLAYERS IN UNIVERSITY OF BENIN
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Abstract
Background/Purpose: Sports injuries are common among football players and can negatively impact performance and participation. Injury-prevention strategies such as warm-up routines, strength training, and flexibility exercises are proven to reduce injury risk, yet their application among amateur players in Nigerian universities remains unclear. This study assessed the level of awareness and practice of sports injury prevention strategies among amateur football players in
the University of Benin.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was adopted. A structured, self-administered
questionnaire adapted from a previous study was distributed to 298 amateur football players selected through consecutive sampling. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including frequency distributions and Chi-square tests to determine associations between socio-demographic variables and prevention practices, with a significance level set at p< 0.05.
Results: Findings revealed that most participants were males (60.4%) aged 18–25 years. General warm-up programme was commonly performed three to five times weekly (15.4% each), while 17.4% reported no participation. Flexibility and strength training were the most commonly practiced preventive measures, while the FIFA 11+ programme was infrequently used. No
significant association was found between age and practice of injury-prevention strategies (p >
0.05). However, male players showed higher engagement in general warm-up (x2= 14.088, p = 0.029), and specific prevention (x2= 15.163, p = 0.019) routines compared to females. Playing position was not significantly associated with either awareness or practice of injury-prevention strategies (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: Amateur football players at the University of Benin demonstrated moderate awareness and practice of injury-prevention strategies. Despite recognizing the importance of prevention, adherence to structured programmes remained low. There is a need for enhanced education, structured preventive training, and improved access to physiotherapy services to promote safer participation in university football.
the University of Benin.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was adopted. A structured, self-administered
questionnaire adapted from a previous study was distributed to 298 amateur football players selected through consecutive sampling. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including frequency distributions and Chi-square tests to determine associations between socio-demographic variables and prevention practices, with a significance level set at p< 0.05.
Results: Findings revealed that most participants were males (60.4%) aged 18–25 years. General warm-up programme was commonly performed three to five times weekly (15.4% each), while 17.4% reported no participation. Flexibility and strength training were the most commonly practiced preventive measures, while the FIFA 11+ programme was infrequently used. No
significant association was found between age and practice of injury-prevention strategies (p >
0.05). However, male players showed higher engagement in general warm-up (x2= 14.088, p = 0.029), and specific prevention (x2= 15.163, p = 0.019) routines compared to females. Playing position was not significantly associated with either awareness or practice of injury-prevention strategies (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: Amateur football players at the University of Benin demonstrated moderate awareness and practice of injury-prevention strategies. Despite recognizing the importance of prevention, adherence to structured programmes remained low. There is a need for enhanced education, structured preventive training, and improved access to physiotherapy services to promote safer participation in university football.
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