Journal of Novel Physiotherapies
Open Access

Abstract

Background: Participation in sports is a healthy behavior, but not without risk of injuries. Extent of recreational sports participation and information on sports injuries among Nigerian youth and young adults is presently unknown. Objective: To evaluate the prevalence and pattern of sport participation and injuries among youth and young adults in Nigeria. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional survey, which involved the use of a validated questionnaire to collect information on sports participation, associated factors, and sports injuries among a representative sample of 433 (276 male and 197 female) undergraduate students of the University of Lagos in Nigeria. Results: A total of 278 (68%) students (aged 16 � 39 years) participated in at least one sport in the previous year, of which football (53.2%) had the highest participation rate. Male students participated more frequently (p<0.001). Injury rate was 33.7 injuries/100 students in one year. The prevalence of injury was 45.7% in male students and 12.7% in female students. About half (49.3%) of reported injuries resulted in time loss. The lower leg (20.5%) and ankle (15.1%) were the most frequently injured body parts. Football (73.8%) recorded the highest prevalence of injury. Conclusion: Sports participation among youth and young adults in Nigeria is fair and sports injury rate is considerably high; mostly affecting the lower extremity and most injuries resulting from football participation. Injury pattern is similar to those of regular athletes.

Biography

Sunday R Akinbo is a recipient of several academic, professional and community distinctions awards. His academic and professional qualifications include BSc in Physiotherapy, MSc and PhD in Musculoskeletal Anatomy, University of Lagos, Nigeria and FPC, Nigeria. He is a member of several national and international academic and professional associations among which are, Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy (NSP), Society for the Study of Pain, Nigeria (SSPN), International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), International Society of Physiotherapy Journal Editors (ISPJE). He has served as an external assessor for physiotherapy promotion exercise in several hospitals in Nigeria, and chairman and member of several academic and professional accreditation panels in Nigeria and Ghana. His professional skills include; Musculoskeletal and Orthopaedics Disorders Evaluation and Management, Sports Injury Preventions and Management, Injury Prevention, Pain Management, Wellness and Stress Management, Education and Research. He has published well over 80 full research articles and 100 research abstracts in peered reviewed journals and conferences proceedings. His professional areas of specialization are Musculoskeletal and Orthopaedics Physiotherapy and Sports Physiotherapy. He is presently the Head/Chairman, Department of Physiotherapy, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos (CMUL) and also; the Head/Chairman and Consultant Physiotherapist, Department of Physiotherapy, Lagos University Teaching Hospital.

Email: sraakinbo@cmul.edu.ng