Swedish study shows positive results after athletes aged 12-15 and their coaches are given more information and support online

The number of injuries in youth athletes is significantly reduced when coaches and parents have access to digital information on adolescent growth. That is one of the key findings of a study from Sweden which has been published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Jenny Jacobsson, physiotherapist and visiting researcher at the Athletics Research Center at Linköping University, has worked as a medical co-ordinator for the Swedish national athletics team for many years and has seen the impact of injuries on athletes.

A survey of injuries in Swedish athletics showed that one of the main causes of injury was prior injury. That is, the earlier an athlete is injured in their career, the higher the likelihood that they will be injured later and more frequently. But causes of injury in youth sports is a complex matter.

Together with her colleagues, Jacobsson has developed a digital health platform containing information for parents and youth coaches on adolescent growth and how this is affected by training, with a focus on athletes aged 12-15.

Researchers carried out a study where 21 athletics clubs with athletes aged 12-15 were randomised into two groups: an intervention group and a control group. For four months, the intervention group parents and coaches were given access to the digital information platform, which at the time was not open to outsiders (but is now open to anyone). They were also regularly encouraged to log in and explore its content.

The researchers noted that the clubs given access to the information showed significantly lower injury incidence and that it took twice as long for the first injury to occur. Moreover, the effect was greater in large clubs.