Developing injury prevention programmes for ladies Gaelic football: a Delphi study

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Injury Prevention
• Gaelic Games

Background:

• High injury rates in ladies Gaelic football pose significant costs to players and governing bodies.
• Existing injury prevention programs are not widely adopted within the sport.
• This study addresses the need for expert-informed injury prevention strategies tailored to ladies Gaelic football.

Purpose of the Study:

• To gather expert consensus on the essential content and optimal format for ladies Gaelic football injury prevention programs.
• To inform the development of effective and adoptable injury prevention strategies for the sport.

Main Methods:

• A three-round Delphi study involving 24 experts in coaching science, injury prevention, and physiotherapy.
• Utilized multiple-choice, Likert scale, and open-ended questions to elicit expert opinions.
• Consensus was defined as 67% or greater agreement among participants.

Main Results:

• Experts agreed on 17 components for injury prevention programs, including agility and balance, with 12 deemed vital for regular inclusion.
• Recommended program characteristics: 10-15 minutes duration, minimal equipment, 3-4 exercise variations for progression.
• Consensus was reached on including specific items like pictures and exercise volume in program designs.

Conclusions:

• The study provides a foundational evidence base for developing future ladies Gaelic football injury prevention programs.
• Integrating end-user preferences with expert-derived findings is crucial for enhancing program efficacy and adoption.