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-structure 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 of 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, 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, the engagement in
athletics, whether at the amateur or professional level, exposes individuals to
various risks of physical and mental harm, in other words, injuries (Duda,
2016). 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 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 structure and scientifically
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 not only essential 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 nature of 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 specific manner the impact of strength training protocols and
application on injury incidence, severity, and recurrence among athletes in
different sports teams. Furthermore, the essence of engaging in research within
a university setting is to enable an integration of interdisciplinary
perspectives, incorporating ideas
from sport science, exercise physiology, biomechanics, and sports medication.
The importance of this holistic approach for individuals and sport institutions
is the ability to gain comprehensive insights into the multiplicities of the
point of relationships 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 to minimize the prevalence of injuries, injuries remain a
significant concern, particularly among collegiate athletes. In this light, the
endeavor 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 condition of prevalent occurrence of
injuries among athletes calls for an 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 program. Through muscular strength enhancement, and endurance strength
training can aid the fortification of athletes’ bodies against the rigors 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 arising need for systematic research to evaluate the
efficiency of strength training procedures in reducing the incidence of
injuries, severity and its recurrence among university’s athletes to the lowest
minimum. The bridge between the gap of theory and practice, can thus enable
health, safety and good performance of athletes in sport activities.
1.3 Purpose of
the study
In essence, this study tends to
explore how strength training prevents athletes’ injuries with a lens casted on
Ambrose Alli University, in this light the purpose of this study encompasses:
An engagement of proper investigation of 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 with incorporating strength training programs in the context
of 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 behavioral
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 it?
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 academic
landscape. The most important aspect of collegiate athletics involves the dual
movement of prioritizing athletic performance as its strives to ensure 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, there
can be an aid for researchers to 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 is reduced, strength training protocols can achieve
alleviation of 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. Athlete gains valuable information as an
empowerment by 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 majorly focus on the utilization of strength
training strategies in 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 of
findings by the size of the participation pool, thereby leading to an
indefinite statistical representation. When a smaller sample size is used as the object of determinant, it may restrict the ability to draw robust conclusions and
hinder findings to broader athlete populations. There can be a risk of
selection bias in the study if certain athletes or sports teams are more
involved in the study than others, leading to skewed results and inaccurate
capturing of the experiences and perspectives of all athletes at Ambrose Alli University.
Certain external factors such as changes in coaching staff, training facilities,
or environmental conditions which 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
challenging with or without apparatus.
Training: A systematic and organized process
in which the end is to enhance physical fitness, developing 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 refers to individuals who
are involved in an active participation of sports activities or athletic
events.
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