Christopher Alvarez, Connor Pastrick, Justin Villani

Professor DiRosa

Consumer Health Decisions

Research Paper

Injury Prevention 1

Introduction

Injury prevention is a key part in the world of health and athletics. Injuries are an

enormous threat to our communities, a threat for which we have an array of effective prevention

strategies. (Larry Cohen, American Journal of Public Health, 2004). In the world of sports,

whether it is collegiate, professional or recreational, there are many injuries that occur during an

athlete’s life. Do you have any data on the # of injuries that occur typically?

Improper warm up and cool downs, weight lifting techniques, and improper sleep are all

factors that benefit towardcould increasingincreasing the risk of injury. According to BMO

Musculoskeletal Disorders journal article the authors stateauthors names, “Though the optimal

pre-exercise routine is debated [1,2], an active aerobic warm-up is commonly used as it has been

shown to improve performance measures [3]. Stretching is also usually incorporated pre-exercise

as it has been suggested to improve muscle flexibility, prevent muscle injury and enhance

physical performance [4-7].” (O’Sullivan, Murray, Sainsbury, p.2, 2009).

In athletics, yourthe body is your a tool and you have tothat must be taken care of it at all

times. , bBefore participating in the physical activity a proper warm up is essential. Proper

weightlifting techniques must be taught to you by a certified personal trainer or strength coach.

Certainly the most important part of injury prevention is the recovery from breaking down of

muscle tissue that is repaired during our sleep.

Injury Prevention 1

Research Question

Do Rowan’s physically active students know what to do before, during, and after workouts to

prevent injury?

Significance of the Problem

Many student athletes or non-athletes are physically active through therire time here at

Rowan. Even though they are Being so aactive, they may not know there is certain important

information in reference tothat is not being shared to beginners or even experienced students.

proper Wwarming up, cooling down, sleeping and knowing techniques of how to lifting. are all

very important things that the general student body is not really well informed on. In the Journal

of Athletic TrainingAccording to Anderson, “Sstretching before or after physical activity can be

observed daily in the clinical setting and in the community, as clinicians and patients use

stretching to prevent injury, decrease soreness, and improve performance.” (Andersenp. #, 2005).

A The majority of students using the gym do not warm up properly warm up and cool

down with certain stretches for before and after (reference). Machine weights are controlled and

help people maintain correct form, but free weight exercises are not. Therefore. P properly

taught trained individuals likesuch as certified strength coaches and personal trainers should be

utilized to are trained to properly know how to teach and how to do certain free weight exercises.

Also, being in a college setting there is a lot of late a night studying, partying, and sleeping

patterns in distraught. Sleep is the most important factor oin decreasing injury, because during

sleep your muscles are repairing themselves from the workout that the individual put themselves

through. According to the American Association of Sleep Medicine, more than one million

Americans are chronically sleep deprived. (Street, , Erika, American Fitness, 2002). Students

Injury Prevention 1

need to be educated on the importance of a proper night’s sleep and its relationship to reducing

injury.

Chapter 2: Literature Review

The importance of properly warming up and cooling down

Students all around campus before entering the gym take their top layers off and head

straight into the weight section with little or no warm up. Little or no stretches are done before

they step onto the bench press or pull up bar for examples. Many people skip the warm up

because it is too long and they want to get in and out of the gym as quick as possible. Just as in

life there are no shortcuts and you will see problems in the near future.

The proper way is to warm up the full body. The whole body is systems that depend on

one another and they all need to be in sync to conquer the hard workout ahead. If the muscular

and neurological system are out of whack and not properly warmed up you one will not be able

to get the most out of the workout. The main goal of a warm up is to increase the body’s heart

rate up and core temperature. This activates the neural pathways of the central nervous system

that are associated with fast twitch muscle fibers. These fibers are used for speed and explosion

in your workout. (Journal of Physical Education, Walter, Quint, Fischer, & Kiger, par 3, 20110).

Without properly warming up the individual is not reaching his/her full potential

muscularly. Richendollar, Darby, & Brown studied There was a study done where three

randomly selected groups that were given different warm-up and cool-down regimens to

complete were randomly selected together and they wanted to seeand compared the muscular

output of the three groups. One group had a proper warm up and proper cool down. The other

Injury Prevention 1

two had no warm up at all and the last weregroup three applied with ice to cool down the muscle.

The ice was applied to see how a very cold muscle, dropped from regular temperature, would

function (Richendollar, Darby, & Brown, 2006). .

There were a series of functional movement tests that were applied to all three groups to

see the muscular output of the muscles. (J.P.E, Richendollar, Darby, Brown, 2006)

The exercises that hadincluded a 40 yard sprint, Agility Shuttle run, and a single-

leg vertical jump. were tested to see the muscular output of the muscles. Taking the single leg

vertical jump for the main differences between groups the first group, with proper warm up,

jumped 26.83 cm. The group that had no ice applied to the muscle jumped a 25.58 cm. The last

final group that had ice applied to the muscle jumped a measly 16.91 cm. The results of this

study showed a significance difference between a cold and warm muscle. , however wWithout

the active warm up there was a 1.25 cm difference between active warm up jumps. That 1.25 cm

difference is significant for the study and it shows that to obtain maximum muscular output one

needs to complete a proper warm up. (J.P.E, Richendollar, Darby, & Brown, 2006).

Coinciding with an active warm up is an equally Showing that an active warm up is very

important there is the cool down part that is also very important. Many individuals after their

workout do not stretch there their muscles to properly cool them down (reference). It is very

important that individuals properly cool down to prevent blood from pooling in certain areas in

the body, . In certain areas in the body when blood pools itwhich can be life threatening.

Stretching after exercise is proper protocol to prevent lower extremity injuries, although many

some people also overdueo with stretching after their workouts that is actually hindering their

performance. Other ways of using post exercise stretching is to lower the amount of muscle

Injury Prevention 1

soreness, which is constantly referred to as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS

DOMS(Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) . (J.P.E, (Andersen, 2005).

Anderson (year) There was a studyied done regarding stretching before and after

exercises and its relationship to to see if the stretching after really decreaseding the reaction of

DOMS. They The researchers took a group of U.S Army recruits and gave them a stretching

program that had four to ten reps. The recruits held the stretches from 30-120 seconds. After the

observation intervention was done the results indicated are was a 2% reduction in soreness that

occurred from the first 72 hours . (J.P.E, Anderson, Par 2, 2005). One wrong pointlimitation

that was given in this study was that the stretches were not held long enough to prevent injury;

however there was a slight reduction in DOMS. (J.P.E. (Anderson, 2005). These findings in

this study were not drastic changes, that would change a students mind drastically, but over time

mobility can decrease. All in all it is still important that post exercise stretching be done to stop

pooling and soreness from compiling highly.

Technique and Form with Weight Lifting

To expand further on injury prevention or any topic of some sort, the more

information you have the easier it is to explain. With injury prevention in athletes and people

who use the gym, there are many factors that go into working out and being able to sustain

proper health and technique. The warm up and cool down is one of the few important

factors before and after your a workout, and the technique and form of lifts also play a

pivotal role in muscular function and the amount of rest you have is very important as well.

These topics go deeper than the surface containing knowledgeable information for keeping your

body in great shape and phenomenal health. The topic of technique with weight training is

Injury Prevention 1

widely discussed to help prevent injuries,. S sacrificing the technique leads to health

problems and normal functions of the body. , toTo avoid this, the proper form and

techniques are needed to help you get through your a workout well and fit.

Technique and form with weight lifting is the most important aspect of muscular

movements within the body’s range of motion. Whether the movement is body weight

squatting, abdominal core movements or simple bicep curls, the form of that movement is

important to understand how the muscle will build and repair itself. The correct

movements create an efficient way for the body to move, bend, spin and coordinate actions

(Rrogers, 2011). The importance of the technique should be the most stressed and spoken

about structure with youth athletes and students, as their physical fitness is important to

their future health. When lifting heavier weights, the chance of improper technique

increases and the ability to perform the correct movement decreases (Rrogers, 2011). The

breakdown of the technique is the most important part to discuss; you will always want to

sacrifice the amount of weight to maintain the technique.

One major problem with training is spondylolsis with those who do weight lifting and

sports. Spondylolsis is one of the more common causes of pathological lower back pain that

athletes and those with improper weight lifting are exposed too(Carlson, 2007). Outside of the

actual technique itself there are other factors that play a role with the form, these

includeing breathing, posture and focus on the muscle group that is being activated.

( Rogers 2011).

The warm up that takes place before lifting help reduce the chance of injury,

primarily to the spine, which is the most affected body with improper lifting due to bending

and the mobility of the back. ( (Harwell, encyclopediayear).) One major problem with training

Injury Prevention 1

is spondylolsis with those who do weight lifting and sports. Spondylolsis is one of the more

common causes of pathological lower back pain that athletes and those with improper weight

lifting are exposed to (Carlson, 2007).

The primary injury concern with weight training is your spine, which is the most

common injured body part when dealing with heavy weight training. Preventing your injury with

the correct form will help with daily exercise and health, avoiding injuryand will make the

exercise process easier, and enjoyable, and pain free. The body and mind are important when

exercising because your focus should be on the body part you arethat is working; this focus will

help with developing habit of thinking about the muscle group you are working withthat is

working. When lifting you should avoid locking your limbs, this could lead to joint problems

especially when aging as you get older. ( Rogers, 2011). When using machines like the leg press,

locking your limbs could get very dangerous in this situation if the weight were to fall. When

working on lateral and front raises you should keep your elbows with a slight bend so your joints

don’t lock out. When working out breathing also plays a role with the oxygen intake and output,

the proper breathing helps to create a well rounded workout. The rhythmic movement of the

oxygen helps the way the workout will precede, for example when squatting you inhale on the

way down and exhale on the way up using that burst of speed and oxygen in a rhythmic

movement (R Rogers, 2011). With proper technique, breathing output and treatment of the body,

you will be able to exercise with a positive attitude and have less worries about your injuries.

Injury prevention is very important to athletes and those who exercise because their body is put

on the line, the overall health and physic of the body is going to help it function over the years.

Keeping your body in great shape with proper technique will lengthen the years you are able to

do more movements and abilities with your joints and muscles.

Injury Prevention 1

Sleep and Injury Prevention

What is sleep? According to the National Institutes of Health sleep is "a behavioral state

that is a natural part of every individuals life." (p. #, year). One third of our life is spent sleeping.

There are three kinds of sleep: light sleep, deep sleep, and Rem sleep. (sleepdex.orgAuthor,

year). These three different kinds of sleep isare broken down into five 90 to 110 minute sleeping

cycles. Stage 1 of the sleeping cycle occurs as yourone is drifting in and out of sleep and can be

awakened easily. During this stage yourthe eyes begin to move slowly and your muscle activity

slows down. You then move into stage 2. During stage 2 eye movement completely stops and

(missing a word here?) waves begin to slowly ? with occasional bursts of rapid brain waves.

Stage 3 is the start of yourthe deep sleep cycle which there is no eye movement or muscle

activity. Your eExtremely slow brain waves called delta are interspersed with smaller, faster

waves. In stage 4, the brain produces delta waves almost entirely. The last stage that occurs is

stage 5 which is the Rem period. The Rem period occurs when breathing becomes more rapid,

irregular and shallow, yourthe eyes jerk rapidly and limb muscles are temporarily paralyzed.

(author, year). Same comment as above – the use the third person (you) makes the tone of the

paper informal. Re-write without using it and your paper will be more formal, as it should

be(sleepdex.org)

  As a human adult, the average of total sleep is eight hours a night, but being a Rowan

student athlete this may conflict with youra college sleeping schedule. If sleeping needs are not

met properly then your mental sharpness, productivity, emotional balance, creativity, physical

vitality, and weight will all be effected .( (author, year)helpguide.org). When sleeping yourthe

body does not shut down, yourthe brain keeps working preparing yourthe body for the next day.

Injury Prevention 1

When the proper sleeping hours are not met youone will not be able to "work, learn, and

communicate at a level even close to your true potential."(author, year(helpguide.org). This can

result in a major mental and physical breakdown. Lack of sleep makes it difficult for your brain

to concentrate causing you to lose energy and fatigue quickly. This results in any physical

activity to be dangerous to your self as well as others. According The National Institutes of

Health " the prevalence of problem sleepiness is high and has serious consequences, such as

drowsy driving or workplace accidents and errors." So if you did not receive your proper hours

of sleep save your self or others the injury and put the weight down.

 Sleep is the time for your body to recover. While sleeping your body has the chance to

replace chemicals and repair muscles as well as other tissues and aging dead cells .(sleepdex.org)

(author, year). This is a very important role for your body when performing in physical activities.

If you do not sleep your muscles can not break down properly and rebuild which will lead you

prone to injury

Chapter 3 Methodology

The survey will collect data be the statistics to our study on injury prevention throughout

Rowan University’s college campus. The study will contain basic questions regarding age,

gender and sex, then it will vary towards types of workouts, to duration of their workouts and

injuries that occurred. The subjects of study will be targeted towards students at the rec center,

possible other locations could bethe athletic facilities such as Esby Gym, the athletic office and

the possibilities of local gyms or training facilities. The age group that is targeted for the student

would be thewill be the general college population which ranges mostly from18-24 years old

Injury Prevention 1

which include graduate students as well. The criteria to reaching be included in this to this study

is just basic ability of working out at a gym. The , the general requirements would just have to be

familiar with exercising and your bodily movements when working out. The collection of this

data will take place around campus; the location we are looking into would have to be the rec

center entrance and exit, and possible food court downstairs in the University student center.

Collecting the data from the students and prticipants will ???

Taking careDistribution of the survey will take place during the first week in April at the

rec center, we will request some students to take a survey for our project. We will survey various

and random students to answer these questions, we will also attend different days and time

periods as well to see who attends the gym throughout the day. Being realistic about this, not

everyone will agree to take this survey for us, so we need to interview as many students willing

to cooperate as possible. I know the amounts of people we need to survey are 100, but to get a

better idea of injury prevention we would like to survey 100-150 students. The results will take

longer to calculate but the general idea would be more detailed and efficient for our statistics.

The pilot test was a helpful set up towards making our survey, the opinions we received in class

and comments will help create a more acceptable survey to those who will take this survey.

Injury Prevention 1

References

Andersen, J. C. (2005). Stretching before and after exercise: Effect on muscle soreness and injury risk. Journal of Athletic Training, 40(3), 218-220. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=19163913&site=ehost-live

O'Sullivan, K., Murray, E., & Sainsbury, D. (2009). The effect of warm-up, static stretching and dynamic stretching on hamstring flexibility in previously injured subjects. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 10, 1-9. doi: 10.1186/1471-2474-10-37

Richendollar, M. L., Darby, L. A., & Brown, T. M. (2006). Ice bag application, active warm-up, and 3 measures of maximal functional performance. Journal of Athletic Training, 41(4), 364-370. Retrieved fromhttp://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=23643152&site=ehost-live

Samson, M., Button, D. C., Chaouachi, A., & Behm, D. G. (2012). Effects of dynamic and static stretching within general and activity specific warm-up protocols. Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, 11(2), 279-285. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=77870281&site=ehost-live

Street, E. (2002). Extra zzzs. American Fitness, 20(5), 20. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=7438019&site=ehost-liveReference list Cont.

Chris Dinesen Rogers (May 12th, 2011) Proper techniques to be used for bending & lifting retrieved from:http://www.livestrong.com/article/438535-proper-techniques-to-be-used-for-bending-lifting/

Chad T. Carlson ( July 2007) Spondylosis and the Athlete, Athletic Therapy Today. Pg 37-39

Sayer, Mary Harwell, an Arya Nick Shamie Exercise and Back health the encyclopedia of the back and spine systems and disorders Retrieved from:http://www.fofweb.com.ezproxy.rowan.edu/HRC/default.asp

Injury Prevention 1

What is sleep? According to the National Institutes of Health sleep is "a behavioral state that is a

natural part of every individuals life." One third of our life is spent sleeping. There are three

kinds of sleep: light sleep, deep sleep, and Rem sleep.(sleepdex.org) These three different

kinds of sleep is broken down into five 90 to 110 minute sleeping cycles.Stage 1 of the sleeping

cycle occurs as your drifting in and out of sleep and can be awakened easily. During this stage

your eyes begin to move slowly and your muscle activity slows down. You then move into stage

2. During stage 2 eye movement completely stops and waves begin to slowly with occasional

bursts of rapid brain waves. Stage 3 is the start of your deep sleep cycle which there is no eye

movement or muscle activity. Your extremely slow brain waves called delta are interspersed

with smaller, faster waves. In stage 4, the brain produces delta waves almost entirely. The last

stage that occurs is stage 5 which is the Rem period. The Rem period occurs when breathing

becomes more rapid, irregular and shallow, your eyes jerk rapidly and limb muscles are

temporarily paralyzed.(sleepdex.org)

 As a human adult, the average of total sleep is eight hours a night, but being a Rowan student athlete this may conflict with your sleeping schedule. If sleeping needs are not met properly then your mental sharpness, productivity, emotional balance, creativity, physical vitality, and weight will all be effected.(helpguide.org) When sleeping your body does not shut down, your brain keeps working preparing your body for the next day. When the proper sleeping hours are not met you will not be able to "work, learn, and communicate at a level even close to your true potential."((helpguide.org) This can result in a major mental and physical breakdown. Lack of sleep makes it difficult for your brain to concentrate causing you to lose energy and fatigue quickly. This results in any physical activity to be dangerous to your self as well as others. According The National Institutes of Health " the prevalence of problem sleepiness is high and has serious consequences, such as drowsy driving or workplace accidents and errors." So if you did not receive your proper hours of sleep save your self or others the injury and put the weight down.

 Sleep is the time for your body to recover. While sleeping your body has the chance to replace chemicals and repair muscles as well as other tissues and aging dead cells.(sleepdex.org) This is a very important role for your body when performing in physical activities. If you do not sleep your muscles can not break down properly and rebuild which will lead you prone to injury

Reference Page:

Injury Prevention 1

Melinda, S. (2013, January). Helpguide.org. Retrieved from http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleeping.htm

Roehers, T. (2003). Sleep, sleep disorders, and biological rhythms. Retrieved from http://science.education.nih.gov/supplements/nih3/sleep/guide/info-sleep.htm

 Sleepdex. (2012, February 02). Retrieved from http://www.sleepdex.org/sleep.htm

Injury Prevention 1