HIGH POINT, N.C., June 9, 2016 – A three-year research study at High Point University has revealed that certain physical performance tests developed by the university can be used to predict athletic injuries before they occur. The results are helping HPU identify injury potential in student-athletes and develop training programs to prevent those injuries from happening.
Dr. Eric Hegedus, professor and founding chair of the physical therapy department, recently published the findings in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in an article titled “Physical performance tests predict injury in National Collegiate Athletic Association athletes: a three-season prospective cohort study.”
Working with exercise science and athletic training faculty and students as well as the Department of Athletics, Hegedus gave screening tests to HPU athletes in the pre-season and followed them closely, recording any injuries. Though previous studies had shown tests by various sports medicine professionals not to be predictive, tests developed by HPU were found to be successful in predicting injury.
“Identifying which athletes will be injured before injuries occur would save them pain, suffering, lost playing time and expenses associated with x-rays, imaging and surgery,” says Hegedus. “If we could do a few simple screening tests and see which athletes perform poorly on those tests, we could change their training program to correct the deficiencies and prevent them from being injured.”
Josh Geruso, HPU’s assistant athletic director for sports medicine, and Ryan Billings, head coach of strength and conditioning, are beginning to use the results of this research to examine which HPU athletes might benefit from additional training with the aim of decreasing injury rates.
“I am very excited to utilize a homegrown screening tool to help prevent injury and minimize time loss for our student-athletes,” says Geruso. “Dr. Hegedus’ research sheds light on areas of injury prevention that were previously unidentified. Our student-athletes will undoubtedly benefit from his work and we look forward to more opportunities to work together in the future.”
Hegedus hopes the research will benefit HPU student-athletes, as well as college athletes everywhere.
“This type of study takes great cross-departmental cooperation,” Hegedus says. “I am extremely proud that the HPU family and the departments of Physical Therapy and Athletics were able to work collaboratively for the betterment of our student-athletes.”