‘We may need some help; we are just parents who have chosen to engage in football’: a qualitative study on amateur coaches’ experiences of use of and support for injury prevention training in Sweden

Abstract

IntroductionAchieving sufficient adherence with injury prevention exercise programmes is a challenge. The aim was to explore how amateur football coaches experience the use of and support for injury prevention training using theKnee Controlprogrammes as examples.MethodsSemistructured interviews with 20 amateur football coaches around experiences of injury prevention training, facilitators and barriers, and perceived support, analysed with qualitative content analysis. Participants coached male and female, junior and senior teams. Experience of having used theKnee Controlprogrammes was an inclusion criteria.ResultsFour main categories were developed:Why are we really doing this?,How do we make it work?,What are our drivers and challenges?andWhat could be improved?Coaches were motivated for injury prevention training but faced challenges such as limited access to football grounds and low player motivation. To make the prevention programme work for them, they integrated it and used exercises in the pauses during football-specific drills, or used as a warm-up. Many conducted prevention routines from an early player age. Coaches believed preventive training use could be further enhanced by education and practical support, and by football associations and clubs working together to reduce injuries.ConclusionCoaches were motivated and creatively worked with the prevention programme to make it fit their team. Even coaches with long-term experience of using prevention programmes wanted support, indicating that present implementation strategies targeting those about to start using prevention programmes should be complemented by continuous support for maintained use. These strategies should preferably target both coaches and players.