Injuries in the context of physical education: A systematic literature review

Abstract

To shed light on the types, frequencies, and contributing causes of injuries in the field of physical education, this study explores the complex dynamics of injuries in this setting. The research offered significant insights that support improving safety procedures and maximizing the learning environment in physical education settings by carefully examining the body of existing literature. This research aimed to conduct a systematic literature review on injuries in the context of physical education. The study employed a systematic literature review method following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses) guidelines. A total of 15 articles published between 2019 and 2023 was included in the literature review, sourced from PubMed, ERIC, and EBSCO. The data collection involved literature search using Boolean operators with keywords "injuries in physical education" and "injury prevention," as well as the establishment of inclusion and exclusion criteria. The data were analyzed using a qualitative approach. The research encompassed various topics such as joint injuries, fall related injuries, compliance with physical activity guidelines, fatigue, injury prevalence, and injury prevention behaviors. The research method in the included studies encompassed surveys, randomized control trials (RCTs), experiments, cohort studies, quasi experiments, observational studies, and ex post facto studies. In conclusion, injuries in the context of physical education were serious issued that could impact the health and well being of students. It is crucial to understand the types and causes of injuries to plan the prevention measures among students. Physical education teachers need training in injury prevention, especially during instructional activities, and students should be educated about safe behaviors.