Description
The presentation delivered by Professor Nick Webborn provides an insightful overview of injury prevention strategies specifically tailored for para athletes. Professor Webborn, who boasts over 30 years of experience in the field, begins with an historical context, highlighting the evolution of the Paralympic Games since their inception in 1948, and the gradual inclusion of various impairments leading to diverse participation in sports.
He goes on to explain the van Mechelen model of sports injury prevention, which emphasizes understanding the extent of the problem through meticulous data collection regarding injury incidence and severity. The importance of this approach is further illustrated by examples from the Winter Paralympic Games, detailing how injury surveys initiated a paradigm shift in safety regulations, notably in ice sledge hockey.
Professor Webborn shares critical findings, such as the significant reduction in lower limb fractures following the implementation of protective regulations, and emphasizes the need for ongoing research to identify high-risk sports, citing football five-a-side as one of the most injury-prone sports. He discusses the impact of biomechanics, offering that understanding the mechanics tailored to the various impairments can inform safer practice.
The presentation culminates in a call for increased engagement in para sports research, underlining the vast gaps in current literature and the potential for impactful advancements in athlete safety and injury prevention, reinforced by collaborative efforts for further studies and data collection in future events.