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Awareness and Implementation of Sports Injury Prevention Programs Among Physical Therapists in Saudi Arabia: A
Yousef M Alnefaie1, Mohamed K Seyam2, Msaad Alzhrani2
1Department of Rehabilitation, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia.
Abstract:
Background and Objectives: Sports injury prevention programs (SIPPs) are crucial for mitigating sports injuries and enhancing athletes' performance. In Saudi Arabia, the sports sector is growing, and the awareness and implementation of sports injury prevention programs (SIPPs) among physical therapists require examination. This study aims to evaluate physiotherapists' awareness of and the implementation of sports injury prevention programs (SIPPs) in the Saudi Arabian region with findings that could enhance rehabilitation and sports injury prevention practices. Materials and Methods: A self-administered online questionnaire was distributed to licensed physiotherapists in Saudi Arabia. Three hundred sixty-six participants responded to the questionnaire, of whom 55.5% were male and 44.5% were female physiotherapists. Results: Licensed physical therapists show a high awareness of sports injury prevention, with 83.9% agreeing or strongly agreeing. However, only 53.8% were aware of sports injury prevention programs, and 37.7% reported actively implementing them. Sports physical therapists scored significantly higher in awareness and implementation than other specialties (p < 0.001) with no significant regional differences. Educational qualification was also significant, with those holding a master's degree or higher reporting greater awareness and implementation than those with a bachelor's degree (p = 0.007). There was a strong positive correlation between awareness and implementation (r = 0.723, p < 0.01), along with weak correlations between awareness and perceived barriers (r = 0.270, p < 0.01) and implementation and barriers (r = 0.280, p < 0.01). Conclusions: This study finds that physical therapists in Saudi Arabia have moderate-to-low awareness and implementation of sports injury prevention programs (SIPPs), especially outside of sports-specific fields. Sports physical therapists and those with higher education have significant awareness. There are minimal regional differences but a strong positive correlation between awareness and implementation. Enhanced training, resources, and institutional support are needed to improve SIPP implementation in rehabilitation.
