Does responsibility fall on the players or the sporting context? A study of the use of injury-prevention programmes in Swedish elite floorball clubs

Floorball is a team sport associated with many potential injuries, but several studies have shown that injury-prevention programmes (IPEPs) can reduce the risk of injuries occurring. Despite the existence and efficacy of injury-prevention exercise programmes, the incidence of injuries is still high. An important factor in conducting injury-prevention programmes regularly is player motivation. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explore the perceptions of and motivations behind floorball players participating in injury-prevention programmes in relation to their athletic context in elite Swedish clubs. Thirteen players from three different teams—five men and eight women—were interviewed. The interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. One main overall theme was identified: Insufficient conditions for moti­vation. The theme consists of four categories: “high demand on player responsibility”, “the influence of injuries”, “lack of time”, and “support from experts”. The results of the study show that the conditions necessary for floorball player’s motivation in their sporting environment to perform injury-pre­ven­tion exercise programme are insufficient, despite knowledge of their significance in avoiding injuries. The two main detriments to the motivation of the players to conduct injury-prevention exercise programmes were a lack of time, and injury-prevention programmes not being prioritised in everyday training. Based on the results, it is suggested that floorball players need improved conditions in order to be able to perform injury-prevention programmes on a regular basis, and moreover, that injury-prevention exercises must become a natural part of everyday training.