High School Basketball Coach And Player Perspectives About Warm Up Routines And Lower Extremity Injuries

Abstract

PURPOSE: To understand high school basketball coach and player routines, knowledge and attitudes relating to warm-ups and lower-extremity injuries (LEIs). METHODS: A prospective qualitative study using data from semi-structured interviews with high school basketball coaches and players conducted from May-October 2019, then thematically analyzed by multiple coders employing team coding. RESULTS: We interviewed n=12 coaches (9 male; 3 female) and n=30 players (11 male; 19 female). Current warm-up. Coaches and players report regular engagement in warm-up routines, but the types of exercises, time dedicated (range: 5-45 minutes) and exercise order varied. Coaches often rely on players to co-lead warm-up exercises. Knowledge and beliefs re: LEI prevention research. Most coaches and players believe that regularly engaging in a warm-up routine is effective at preventing injury (“⋯warming up is absolutely important. There’s no disputing.”), but lack thorough knowledge of the current evidence (“I have a general interest in sports and fitness⋯[but] I can’t give you any specific⋯sources.”). Barriers. Warm-up routines suffer at games due to limited time and space (“Game-[time] is the worst time.”). Some players and coaches perceive youth as impervious to injury and minimize warm-up (“I remember being 16 and 17⋯[you get] out of bed and [you] just run two miles and you’re fine.”). Coaches face multiple demands during practice, which can impede their focus on a warm-up routine (“⋯as a coach, [warm-up] is hard⋯you don’t have a lot of time⋯You want to get right to the point [of practice].”). Coaches also expressed concern that they lack adequate knowledge to select the best exercises and skills to teach their players how to perform them correctly (“⋯what stretches are out there. I don’t think I know all of them.”). Enablers. Players’ past injury experience was a key motivator for warming-up (“I'd just put on my shoes and I'd start playing⋯[until I hurt]⋯My knee.”). Coach encouragement was also a motivator for players. CONCLUSION: Regular involvement in basketball warm-up routines was common among high school teams, but the methods and time dedicated to these practices varied. Players and coaches are eager for more information on warm-ups shown to reduce LEIs, as well as targeted strategies to effectively implement these routines.