Subjects
Seven hundred and sixty-five basketball and soccer players
(523 girls and 242 boys) from 12 area high schools that
utilized certified athletic trainers (ATCs) from our Sports
Medicine Clinic agreed to participate in the study. Subjects
were recruited by giving study materials to potential subjects,
posting flyers in the schools, sending letters to school
administrators, meeting with coaches, and talking with
parents at preseason team meetings.
To be included in the study, subjects had to be on the
interscholastic basketball or soccer team roster compiled
by their head coach. In addition, each subject had to
be able to practice or play the first day of the preseason drills and practices without restrictions due to a prior
injury. Finally, each subject (and the parents if under age
18 years) had to complete the informed consent and Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
(HIPAA) forms.