The E’s of sport injury prevention

The 3 E’s (Education, Enforcement and Engineering) of Injury Prevention offer a framework that can help guide the development of community-based, injury prevention programs and initiatives. Together, stakeholder education and training, preventative rules, policies, and regulations, and the development of products and technologies all contribute to a reduced injury risk.

Preventing RED-S

Creating a healthy sport culture is critical for the prevention of relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S). According to research, key prevention factors include education for athletes, coaches, trainers, administrators, parents and all involved in athlete care, and a zero-tolerance policy for toxic training environments or practices such as body shaming, over-exercising, and under-fuelling.

Reducing concussion risk 

Female athletes may be at a higher risk of sustaining a concussion than male athletes. Evidence-informed strategies to help reduce concussion risk among women, girls and female athletes include encouraging them to check their helmet’s fit regularly and incorporating neck strengthening exercises into their training programs. 

Hitting the wall

All marathon runners know the feeling of “hitting the wall,” when their pace slows dramatically due to fatigue and depleted energy stores. In fact, new research finds that most runners hit the wall in the 33rd kilometer of a marathon, and that it is as much a psychological phenomenon as it is physiological. Being cheered…

Coaches enhance the Masters sport experience

For Masters athletes, a quality coach provides a range of benefits that distinguish training and competition from fitness or exercise. These include enhanced confidence, learning processes, lifestyle habits, and the creation of an environment that meets their need for affiliation.

Active breaks

When it comes to sedentary behaviour (waking time spent at rest in a sitting or reclined position), Canadian adults received a grade of F in the 2021 ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Adults. Not surprisingly, more than 60% of Canadians reported spending more time using the internet and watching TV during the pandemic….

Memory boost

Exercise is one way to prevent the age-related decline of memory. In fact, new research shows that aerobic exercise may enhance memory in previously inactive older adults, with the potential for high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to yield the greatest benefit.

Light physical activity benefits

ParticipACTION’s Report Card on Physical Activity for Adults states that 56% of adults living in Canada get at least 3 hours of light physical activity (LPA) each day. What is LPA and why does it matter? LPA is any activity that requires using up low levels of energy such as walking for leisure, standing work…

Beyond the medals: The health of retired high performance female athletes

Swimmer Summer McIntosh. Fencer Jessica Guo. Artistic swimmer Rosalie Boissonneault. These teenagers were among the youngest Canadian competitors in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Their intensive training will likely continue for many years to come as they search for even more success in their respective sports. But what happens later, when these female athletes put…

Winter Games injury prevention

Did you know that 12% of athletes competing in the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games experienced an injury? While injury rates have remained similar across the last 3 Winter Olympics, there is considerable variation in incidence rates across sports. Understanding sport-specific variations in illness or injury can help with prevention and planning of healthcare during…