Part 1
The study does not include a direct research question or hypotheses. Rather, it has an objective and several aims. Its objective was to outline an epidemiology of high school associated ligamentous ankle sprains in the United States (U.S.). The aims include a description of aspects linked with ligamentous ankle injuries, patterns of ankle injury through particulate ligaments, and the rates of ligamentous ankle injury per sport. The partakers of this investigation were sporting girls and boys of participating schools, which were selected on a basis of their trainers. These schools were 100 in number. Thus, participants were in a form of schools. The inclusion and exclusion criteria of selected schools had to have one or more athletic instructors certified by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA). They also had to have a useable email for communication. These 100 schools included those that had nine sports including volleyball (girls), soccer (both girls and boys), football, softball, baseball, wrestling, and basketball (both girls and boys). There were 11 extra sports whose data was obtained for this research such as girls’ hockey, cheerleading, male volleyball, diving and swimming, field and track, and lacrosse. These sports were included, albeit, sparingly, depending on their availability in individual schools. The primary concepts for this study were a reportable injury, exposure of athletes, medical consideration along with a hindrance of an athlete to take part in a sport due to this sprain. It used a website called, High School Reporting Information Online (RIO) (Swenson, Collins, Fields, & Comstock, 2013). The study’s design was a descriptive probable epidemiology investigation. It was undertaken by collecting data from academic years starting 2005/2006 to 2010/2011. Its limitations included restricting the sample to schools, which had certified athletic trainers. The study did not also factor in time used by athletes during competitions. It also failed to depict a national outlook, as it was limited to specific schools. In future, it may be applied in the assessment of gender differences contributing to ankle injuries. It may also be used as a base for undertaking nation-wide studies of ankle injuries. Investigators can use it develop measures to reduce ankle sprains (Swenson, Collins, Fields, & Comstock, 2013).
Part 2
The study would have been more enhanced with an inclusion of some students from each of the 100 schools who had distinct physical features. Rather than relying on reports from athletic trainers, it would have employed dedicated people for this role. Moreover, the recording of ankle injury and extent to which it forced an athlete to stay out of the game could have been stipulated. There should have been a hardcopy, like a form to be filled about the injury, before entry of injuries into the High School RIO. It could also have included school samples from all over the U.S.
Reference
Swenson, D. M., Collins, C. L., Fields, S. K., & Comstock, R. D. (2013). Epidemiology of US high school sports-related ligamentous ankle injuries, 2005/06-2010/11. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 23(3), 190-196.
