Sports and Exercise Safety Program (LiVE) in Finland
The aim of the LiVE-program is to increase safety of sports and exercise in a nationwide setting. Injuries are prevented by enhancing awareness of injury risks, improving quality and contents of physical activity sessions and sport training, and taking care of sports environment and equipment.
The primary target groups are young athletes, their coaches and parents, elementary and vocational school pupils and their teachers. The program is coordinated by the UKK Institute and implemented in co-operation with various Finnish educational institutes and sports federations.
Implementation of the national and international study findings are conducted in three projects:
- Healthy Athlete (2006–)
- Safety in School Sports, TEKO (2010–)
- Smart Moves (2014–).
Implementing a Program at National Level to Prevent Sports Injuries in Adolescents. Jari Parkkari, MD, PhD
Healthy Athlete Program
Every year over 350,000 sports injuries occur in Finland and the trend is increasing. Athletes are in high risk to be injured. Up to 50 % of the injuries could be prevented.
Healthy Athlete (HA) aims to foster coaching and training culture that promotes good health and safety in sports. National and international study findings are delivered to the field by communication and education.
Target groups are:
- young athletes
- coaches
- instructors
- team managers
- and families.
Main communication channels are the website, Facebook, Twitter (@terveurheilija) and YouTube channel offering information packages, exercise videos, campaign materials, tutor network information etc. All materials are free of charge. We also arrange several seminars and tutor meetings with national partners.
Healthy Athlete networks
Healthy Athlete Program has educated over 80 HA-instructors and created the national Sport Nutrition Society (50 sport nutritionists). Purposes of the networks are to implement preventive strategies against sport injuries among target groups by offering education and counselling for coaches and athletes at their local environments. Tutors share the same education materials and injury prevention strategies and they meet annually for re-education.
Ten-Point Circle
The Ten-Point Circle crystallizes the core of the program. It provides information and know-how on smart coaching, training and sports. It is modified from van Mechelen sport injury prevention model (1992) and Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) SportSmart – 10-point plan (New Zealand).
Figure: The ten-point-circle
Healthy Athlete material in English
Räisänen, Anu (2018). Adolescent sports injuries : Frontal plane knee control as an injury risk factor and a screening tool (academic dissertation). Full PDF version of the study in English.
Leppänen, Mari (2017). Prevention of injuries among youth team sports: the role of decreased movement control as a risk factor (academic dissertation). Full PDF version of the study in English.
Hänninen, Timo (2017). The Sport Concussion Assessment Tool in the Management of Concussion in Professional Ice Hockey (academic dissertation). Full PDF version of the study in English.
Tuominen, Markku (2017). Injuries in the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships and Olympic Winter Games (academic dissertation). Full PDF version of the study in English.
Pasanen, Kati (2009). Floorball injuries: epidemiology and injury prevention by neuromuscular training (academic dissertation). Full PDF version of the study in English.
Sports and Exercise Safety in Finland: a Nationwide Implementation Case
Poster about three implementation programs, World Safety congress in Tampere, Finland, 2016
Poster about Healthy Athlete programme, World Safety congress in Tampere, Finland, 2016
Funding
The Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture
The Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
For more information, please contact
Mari Leppänen,
Research and Development Director, PhD
Tampere Research Center of Sports Medicine
The UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, Tampere, Finland
tel. +358 44 212 1083
email: mari.leppanen(a)ukkinstituutti.fi
Information about the UKK Institute, the organisation coordinating the program.