Implementation of an Evidence-Based Intervention to Improve Head Impact Safety in Youth Football
- Conditions
- Sport InjuryHead Injury
- Interventions
- Behavioral: practice structure intervention
- Registration Number
- NCT06368050
- Lead Sponsor
- Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Brief Summary
The objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of implementing an evidence-based intervention program, COmmunities Aligned to reduce Concussion and Head impact exposure (COACH) on a larger scale. Coaches of 12U (12 years old and under), and 13U (13 years old and under) teams within six youth football organizations will pilot test the intervention. Aim 1 will conduct focus groups with coaches, parents, and organizational leaders to assess organizational needs, capacity, and readiness to adopt the intervention program. Aim 2 will evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention program at reducing HIE and injuries and evaluate implementation success. Aim 2 results (intervention outcomes) are reported herein.
- Detailed Description
Coaches of teams at the 12U and 13U levels within the six youth football organizations will be invited to pilot test the intervention program. Intervention outcomes will be compared to historic controls (K25HD101686 - NCT04908930). Video taken at all practices will be used to monitor team activities of 12U and 13U teams across all organizations participating in the intervention; incidence of injuries will be monitored across all teams. Athletes (n=30) enrolled across two of six participating teams will be recruited to participate in parallel biomechanical and video data collection to evaluate the frequency and severity of head impacts experienced throughout the season. Biomechanical data will be collected using instrumented mouth guards and verified with video. Preliminary effectiveness will be measured by the percentage of coaches who choose to adopt and maintain the intervention program. Head impact exposure and injury rates will be compared across the intervention and control teams.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 34
- All athletes participating on the prospective teams will be eligible for the study, including those with braces longer than 6 months
- Athletes will be excluded from participation if they have had braces less than 6 months, or have dental appliances that may impede the fit of the mouthpiece device (e.g., Herbst Appliance).
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Experimental - practice structure intervention practice structure intervention Athletes of teams at the 12U and 13U level pilot testing the intervention program. On-field activity will be monitored with head impact sensors and video to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention program.
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Number of practice head acceleration events Month 3 Number of verified direct and indirect head acceleration events measured in practice over the entire season.
Number of practice head impacts Month 3 Number of verified direct head impacts measured in practice over the entire season.
Practice head impact rate Month 3 Rate of verified direct head impacts per athlete per practice
Practice head acceleration even rate Month 3 Rate of verified direct and indirect head acceleration events per athlete per practice
Median rotational acceleration Month 3 Head impact data will be transformed to the head center of gravity using Matlab (Mathworks, Inc., Natick, MA) in terms of median rotational acceleration.
Median rotational velocity Month 3 Head impact data will be transformed to the head center of gravity using Matlab (Mathworks, Inc., Natick, MA) in terms of median rotational velocity
95th percentile rotational acceleration Month 3 Head impact data will be transformed to the head center of gravity using Matlab (Mathworks, Inc., Natick, MA) in terms of 95th percentile rotational acceleration
Median linear acceleration Month 3 Head impact data will be transformed to the head center of gravity using Matlab (Mathworks, Inc., Natick, MA) in terms of median linear acceleration.
95th percentile linear acceleration Month 3 Head impact data will be transformed to the head center of gravity using Matlab (Mathworks, Inc., Natick, MA) in terms of 95th percentile linear acceleration
95th percentile rotational velocity Month 3 Head impact data will be transformed to the head center of gravity using Matlab (Mathworks, Inc., Natick, MA) in terms of 95th percentile rotational velocity
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM) Values up to 13 weeks Higher values denote better acceptability - total range 0 - 5
Number of practices the intervention was implemented as prescribed up to 13 weeks The extent to which the intervention was implemented as prescribed. Descriptive data and inferential statistics will be used. Common themes will be grouped, and qualitative data indexed and charted
Feasibility of Intervention Measure (FIM) Values up to 13 weeks Perceived feasibility - higher values denote better feasibility - total range 0 - 5
Average minutes per practice of live time up to 13 weeks Minutes per practice spent on live tackling
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
🇺🇸Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States