Encouraging junior community netball players to learn correct safe landing technique.
OBJECTIVE
Behavioural factors and beliefs are important determinants of the adoption of sports injury interventions. This study aimed to understand behavioural factors associated with junior community netball players' intentions to learn correct landing technique during coach-led training sessions, proposed as a means of reducing their risk of lower limb injury.


METHODS
Cross-sectional survey.


METHODS
287 female players from 58 junior netball teams in the 2007/2008-summer competition completed a 13-item questionnaire developed from the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). This assessed players' attitudes (four items), subjective norms (four), perceived behavioural control (four) and intentions (one) around the safety behaviour of learning correct landing technique at netball training. All items were rated on a seven-point bipolar scale. Cluster-adjusted logistic regression was used to assess which TPB constructs were most associated with strong intentions.


RESULTS
Players had positive intentions and attitudes towards learning safe landing technique and perceived positive social pressure from significant others. They also perceived themselves to have considerable control over engaging (or not) in this behaviour. Players' attitudes (p<0.001) and subjective norms (p<0.001), but not perceived behavioural control (p=0.49), were associated with strong intentions to learn correct landing technique at training.


CONCLUSIONS
Injury prevention implementation strategies aimed at maximising junior players' participation in correct landing training programs should emphasise the benefits of learning correct landing technique (i.e. change attitudes) and involve significant others and role models whom junior players admire (i.e. capitalise on social norms) in the promotion of such programs.
School of Human Movement and Sport Sciences, University of Ballarat, Australia.
Peta E
PE
White
Shahid
S
Ullah
Alex
A
Donaldson
Leonie
L
Otago
Natalie
N
Saunders
Maria
M
Romiti
Caroline F
CF
Finch
D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D016015:Logistic Models; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000293:injuries*; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D010806:Physical Education and Training; D011582:Psychological Theory; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012449:Safety; D054798:Volleyball