Golfers’ Perspectives on Injury Prevention: A Qualitative Study on Factors Influencing Successful Implementation

It is unclear so far how recreational golfers experience an injury prevention program in the real-life setting. A qualitative approach can be used to get insight into this implementation's complexity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perception of recreational golfers on warm-up in general, their experiences with the Golf Injury Prevention Program (GRIPP), and their opinions on how to implement our injury prevention program in a recreational golf setting. We used an explorative qualitative design with a constructivist paradigm to underpin the study. Through convenience sampling, we invited 11 golfers assigned to awarm-up program in a golf-specific injury prevention trial. We conducted semistructured interviews following a standardized interview guide based on three predetermined topics: general warm-up, injury prevention, and implementation. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and a thematic analysis was performed with ATLAS.ti software. Participants cited different reasons for engaging in a warm-up routine, including injury prevention, self-care, preparation, and performance optimization. However, conducting a warm-up was said to be influenced by the golf environment. The prevention program was deemed "feasible," and the supplied materials were considered "sufficient." Participants observed minor differences in the information channels available at golf clubs, which affect implementation. The role of the golf professional was recognized as crucial in promoting and facilitating the warm-up routine. Recreational golfers recognize the performance and health advantages of a warm-up routine, yet motivations for engaging in such activities vary. The social environment influences performance, and a golf professional can help implement this. These findings emphasize the importance of considering contextual factors when developing injury prevention programs in golf.