The First Decade of Web-Based Sports Injury Surveillance (2004–2005 Through 2013–2014): Methods of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance Program and High School Reporting Information Online

Abstract

Objective:  To describe the methods of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Injury Surveillance Program (ISP) and High School Reporting Information Online (HS RIO) system as a complement to the sport-specific manuscripts that will follow. Background:  The NCAA-ISP and HS RIO collect injury and exposure data from samples of collegiate and high school sports programs, respectively. The NCAA-ISP, which the NCAA has maintained since 1982, was relaunched as a Web-based platform at the beginning of the 2004–2005 academic year. In 2005, the HS RIO was introduced to capture data on high school athletes and modeled after the NCAA-ISP. Relevant data are shared with the NCAA and high school sport and policy committees to develop evidence-based rules and programs that help protect the health and safety of student-athletes. Description:  The NCAA-ISP and HS RIO monitor participation in school-sanctioned competitions and practices that occur from the first preseason practice to the final postseason contest for more than 25 sports. For this series of publications in the Journal of Athletic Training, injury information on 13 sports at the collegiate level during the 2004–2005 through 2013–2014 academic years and the high school level during the 2005–2006 through 2013–2014 academic years was evaluated. Conclusions:  Athletic trainers have been a vital source of data collection over the past decade to help produce the largest datasets of collegiate and high school sports injuries. Such data have helped various sport and policy committees advance protocols that aim to increase sports safety. This series of publications will aid by continuing to provide data to stakeholders in the sports community.