ABSTRACT
The purpose of this
study is to examine strength training as a measure for the prevention of
injuries among athletes, using the Ambrose Alli University athletics team as a
case study. The population of
the
study consisted of 100 participants
from the athletes at Ambrose Alli University.
The study made use of self-structured questionnaires to elicit responses from
the study participants, which were later analyzed using frequency counts and
simple percentages. The study found, among others, that the rate of injuries
among athletes at Ambrose Alli University is very
low, the use of strength training can
help in the prevention of injuries by strengthening particular muscle groups
and acclimatizing muscles to specific workloads, and the perception of athletes
towards strength training is generally poor among student-athletes at Ambrose
Alli University. It also found that the major challenges affecting the execution of strength
training among athletes are dislike for strength training, lack of training
apparatus, lack of recovery time between training and competitions, and a popular
belief among aerobic athletes (long-distance runners) that strength training is
irrelevant for their sports. Following the findings of the study, the
researcher recommends that injury, like tropical diseases, should be considered
a significant public health problem in Nigerian universities, that there
should be more focus on safety education aiming to educate this young
population on how to prevent injury, and that policies should be formulated and
enforced among athletes to prevent sports injuries.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Title Page- - - - - - - - I
Certification- - - - - - - - - iii
Dedication- - - - - - - - - iv
Acknowledgement- - - - - - - - v
Abstract- - - - - - - - - viii
CHAPTER
ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study- - - - - - - 1
Statement of problem- - - - - - - - 4
Purpose of the Study- - - - - - - - 5
Research Questions- - - - - - - - 5
Scope of the Study- - - - - - - - 6
Limitation of the Study - - - - - - 6
Significance of the Study - - - - - - 7
Definition of Terms- - - - - - - - 8
CHAPTER
TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
The importance of injury prevention in
athletics. - - 9
Background information on Ambrose Alli
university athletics teams- 10
The concept of strength training for injury
prevention - - 15
How strength training reduces injury - - - - - 21
Implication for athletes in Ambrose Alli
University Ekpoma- - 25
Effectiveness of strength training intervention
in reducing injury risk among athletes
Implementation of strength training programs
within athletes setting 26
Summary of Review - - - - - - - 28
CHAPTER
THREE: METHODOLOGY
Research Design of the study - - - - - - 33
Population of the study- - - - - - - 34
Sample and Sampling Technique- - - - - - 34
Research Instrument- - - - - - - - 35
Validity - - - - - - - - - 35
Reliability Method of Data Collection - - - - - 36
Method of Data analysis - - - - - - - 36
CHAPTER
FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
Discussion of Findings - - -- - - - 37
CHAPTER
FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary - - - - - - - - 48
Conclusion- - - - - - - - - 49
Recommendations - - - - - - - - 50
REFERENCES- - - - - - - - 53
Appendix- - - - - - - - - 58
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background of the Study
In sports, engagement in
athletics, whether at the amateur or professional level, exposes individuals to
various risks of physical and mental harm, in other words, injuries. The
impact of these injuries not only influences the performance of athletes during
sports activities but can also have long-term implications on their health and
well-being. Among various strategies mapped out by various universities to
mitigate the risk of injuries, strength training stands out as a very crucial
and effective approach for Ambrose Alli University in this regard. As a
fundamental component of athletic conditioning programs, strength training
involves exercises designed to improve muscular strength, endurance, and
overall physical performance (Suchomel, Nimphius, & Stone, 2016). It has a
function of injury prevention, which results from its ability to enhance the
structural makeup of muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones, leading to an apt
reduction of susceptibility to strains, sprains, and other common
sports-related injuries. Its application has been utilized in athletics for
centuries, but it gained prominence with a systematic application within
universities and organized sports settings that began in the late 19th and
early 20th centuries (Zatsiorsky, Kraemer, & Fry, 2020). Science and
practice of strength training. Human Kinetics. Instances of its application
date back to ancient Greece, where various forms of resistance were engaged by
athletes as part of their training modules for the Olympic competitions. However,
the modern view of strength training as a structured and scientific-initiated practice emerged in the late 19th century. Individuals, such as
Dudley Allen Sargent, a professor at Havard University, and Dr Ernst Jokl, a
German-American physician and physical education advocate, contributed
massively to the promotion of the systematic use of resistance exercises for
athletic development and physical fitness in the late 1980s (Stone et al,
2022). The relevance and importance of injury prevention have gained
significant attention in the sports community in recent years, with the
inclusion of universities such as Ambrose Alli University. A proper
understanding of the efficiency of strength training in preventing injuries
within the scale of sporting activities engaged by athletes is essential not only for optimizing performance but also for ensuring a healthy life for
the individuals involved in athletic activities in various sports disciplines.
Ambrose Alli University serves as a suitable setting for this study because of
its inclusive, diverse athletic programs and the constant occurrence of
sport-related injuries among its student-athletes. Through proper investigation
within this academic environment, researchers can delve in a specific manner
into the impact of strength training protocols and applications on injury
incidence, severity, and recurrence among athletes on different sports teams.
Furthermore, the essence of engaging in research within a university setting is
to enable the integration of interdisciplinary perspectives, incorporating
ideas from sports science, exercise physiology, biomechanics, and sports
medication. The importance of this holistic approach for individuals and sports
institutions is the ability to gain comprehensive insights into the
multiplicities of the points of relationship between strength training and
injury prevention among athletes.
1.2
Statement of the problem
The prevalence of
injuries incurred during sports activities poses a great object of concern for
every sporting institution, as it affects not only individual athletes but also
team performance and morale. Although several sports medicine and training
methodologies minimize the prevalence of injuries, injuries remain a
significant concern, particularly among collegiate athletes. In this light, the
endeavour of investigating the efficacy of strength training as a preventive
measure against injuries among athletes is paramount. The core aim of this
section is to establish the problem and reason for conducting a case study on
strength training and injury prevention at Ambrose Alli University. In the
context of Ambrose Alli University, the prevalent occurrence of injuries among
athletes calls for immediate address and intervention. As an environment of
learning with a holistic formation that encompasses sports discipline and
athletic talent, the university faces a unique challenge in safeguarding the
health and performance of its student-athletes. The injuries incurred by these
student-athletes usually occur on the track, field, or court, and they are
exposed to myriads of injury risks, necessitating the implementation of safety
measures to mitigate those threats. Strength training therefore emerges as a
suitable measure for injury prevention within collegiate sports programs.
Muscular strength enhancement and endurance strength training can aid in the
fortification of athletes’ bodies against the rigours of training and
competition (Schott, Johnen, & Holfelder, 2019). On the other hand, despite
the theoretical merits of strength training in injury prevention, the specific
empirical evidence in the context of Ambrose Alli University is lacking.
In that sense, there is an emerging need for systematic research to evaluate the
efficiency of strength training procedures in reducing the incidence of
injuries, severity, and recurrence among university athletes to the lowest
minimum. The bridge between theory and practice can thus enable the health,
safety, and good performance of athletes in sports activities.
1.3
Purpose of the study
In essence, this study
tends to explore how strength training prevents athletes’ injuries with a lens
cast on Ambrose Alli University. In this light, the purpose of this study is to
engage in a proper investigation of the current incidence and types of injuries
among athletes at Ambrose Alli University across different sports disciplines.
Examining to what extent strength training programs could be effective in
reducing the risk of injuries among athletes involved in various sports,
accessing the level of attitudes, perceptions, and compliance of athletes and
coaching staff towards the implementation of strength training as a tool or
technique for preventing injuries. Identifying possible barriers and obstacles
related to incorporating strength training programs in the context of the
university’s athletic programs, such as resource limitations and logistical
constraints. Providing empirically certified recommendations for optimizing
strength training protocols to enable effective prevention of injuries and
foster overall athlete well-being within the university sports environment.
1.4
Research Questions
1. How often do injuries
occur among athletes at Ambrose Alli University across different sports
disciplines and what is the nature of the injury?
2. How efficient are
strength training programs in mitigating the risk of injuries among athletes
participating in various sports at the university?
3. What are the
behavioural attitudes, perceptions, and compliance levels of athletes and
coaching staff towards utilizing strength training as a preventive measure for
injuries?
4. What are the
obstacles and challenges experienced while implementing strength training
programs within the university's athletic programs, and what strategic approach
should be used to address them?
1.5
Significance of the Study
The distinct
significance of conducting research on strength training as a preventive
measure for injuries among athletes at Ambrose Alli University is its extension
beyond the academic landscape. The most important aspect of collegiate
athletics involves the dual movement of prioritizing athletic performance as it
strives to ensure the safety and healthiness of athletes (Lopes et al., 2020).
The significance of this study lies in its potential to contribute to both
facets of this overarching goal. When the efficient scale of strength training
in reducing injury is evaluated, researchers can offer evidence-based
strategies for the development of athletic performance and longevity. Athletic
injuries stand out as a significant burden on athletes, coaches, and sports
organizations, both physically and economically. With a strict investigation,
this study seeks to expose the preventive ability of strength training, which
can further lead to the mitigation of the burden attached to injuries within
Ambrose Alli University’s sports programs. If various sports irregularities
such as injury incidence, severity, and recurrence are reduced, strength
training protocols can alleviate strains on healthcare resources and enhance a
sustainable platform for athletic programs. The athletes themselves are the
most beneficiaries of the findings of this study, which aims at promoting their
health, safety, and performance. Athletes gain valuable information and empowerment
from this study to make informed decisions about their training routines
through proper elucidation of the role of strength training in injury prevention.
Moreover, researchers achieve valid findings by consulting and incorporating
athletes’ perspectives and experiences, which will ensure that the preventive
strategies agree with the needs and preferences of those they seek to benefit.
Ambrose Alli University, which can be identified as an institution of higher
learning, has an opportunity to lead by example in advancing sports discipline
research and practice. Through this study, the university demonstrates its
commitment to fostering excellence in athletics while ensuring primarily the
welfare of athletes. Moreover, the outcome of this study can serve as a
benchmark for future investigations, creating avenues for continuous
advancement in sports injury prevention and performance optimization.
1.6
Scope of the Study
This study aims to
explore how strength training stands to be a valuable measure for the
prevention of injuries among athletes, using Ambrose Alli University as a case
study. This implies that this study will primarily focus on the utilization of
strength training strategies at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State.
1.7 Limitations of
the Study
As this study on
strength training as a measure for the prevention of injuries among athletes at
Ambrose Alli University holds promising outcome, several limitations may
influence the scope and generalizability of its findings: This study may
encounter limitations in findings due to the size of the participation pool,
thereby leading to an indefinite statistical representation. When a smaller If sample size is used as the determinant, it may restrict the ability to draw
robust conclusions and hinder findings for broader athlete populations. There
can be a risk of selection bias in the study if certain athletes or sports
teams are more involved than others, leading to skewed results and inaccurate
capture of the experiences and perspectives of all athletes at Ambrose Alli
University. Certain external factors, such as changes in the coaching staff,
training facilities, or environmental conditions that are beyond the control of
the researchers, could influence injury rates and training outcomes during the
study period. The applicability of findings to other academic institutions or
sports settings with different contexts and demographics may encounter
limitations as a result of the unique context of Ambrose Alli University in
terms of its geographical location, athletic culture, and resources.
1.8
Definition of Terms
Strength: any form of
physical training that enables individuals to exert force, resist external
pressures, and endure challenges with or without apparatus.
Training is a systematic and
organized process in which the end is to enhance physical fitness, develop
specific skills, and improve performance in a particular activity or
discipline.
Injury: a physical harm
or damage inflicted on the body by external forces, trauma, overuse, or
accident.
Athletes: Athletes refer to
individuals who are involved in active participation in sports activities or
athletic events.
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