Stakeholder perspectives on injury prevention training in girls' and women's elite football: A group concept mapping study involving coaches, physical performance coaches, physical therapists, medical doctors, and club management

Abstract

Objectives

To identify factors influencing use of injury prevention training among stakeholders of Danish girls' and women's elite football teams.

Design

Cross-sectional Group Concept Mapping study using mixed-methods.

Setting

Girls' and women's elite football.

Participants

Head coaches, assistant coaches, physical performance coaches, physiotherapists, medical doctors, and management.

Results

Thirty-seven stakeholders brainstormed on: “What determines whether injury prevention training is conducted on your team?" followed by sorting and rating of statements. Subsequent multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis followed by cluster map validation by stakeholders, resulted in a final model comprising eight themes influencing injury prevention training use in Danish girls' and women's elite football: (1) injury prevention is important, (2) prioritizing, (3) physical facilities, (4) players attitudes and understandings, (5) physical performance coach, (6) football coaches, (7) interdisciplinary cooperation, and (8) overall framework with “interdisciplinary cooperation” rated highest.

Conclusions

Stakeholders in Danish girls' and women's elite football identified interconnected factors influencing the use of injury prevention training, with “interdisciplinary cooperation” rated as most important. The findings reveal a complex interplay across structural, individual, team, and organizational levels, offering insights that can inform context-specific strategies to promote the implementation of evidence-based injury prevention training in Danish girls' and women's elite football.