Effects of tailored advice on injury prevention knowledge and behaviours in runners

Heather Hollman

Purpose: The study aim was to determine whether biweekly tailored advice was more effective than general advice at baseline alone for enhancing running-related injury (RRI) prevention knowledge and behaviours in runners.

Methods: During a 13-week randomized controlled trial, all participants received general RRI prevention advice (baseline), after which the intervention group received additional biweekly tailored advice (weeks 3 to 11), before all participants completed a Final Questionnaire (week 13).

Findings: The intervention group (n = 31) chose 5.52 (95% CI 3.86, 7.19) more correct RRI prevention knowledge responses on the Final Questionnaire compared to baseline than the control group (n = 20). The difference in change of correct behaviour responses (1.44, 95% CI -0.11, 2.98) was not statistically significant.

Conclusions: Biweekly tailored advice improved correct RRI prevention knowledge and trended towards improved correct behaviours in runners. Further research into the impact of these changes on RRI occurrence is warranted.