Before the event | Age, conditioning, and skill level of participant. Previous injury history. Previous body contact skills (eg self protection, and awareness of opponent) | Type of face, eye, mouth guard available/worn, fit, type, age, and composition of protective device. Universal v individual use of protective device. Other protective devices worn (eg stabilising cervical collar) | Playing field/surface or environment composition. Specific playing field safety equipment. Projectile or implement composition. Attitude toward protective devices. Role modelling of professional/peer group. Exposure to educational interventions concerning protective devices |
Event | Type, severity, frequency, severity, and timing of injury. | Protective equipment worn/not worn. Quantification of forces (eg velocity, direction acceleration) experienced by helmet, or sport specific projectile. | Adherence and enforcement of rules. Condition of playing field/surface. Availability of immediate medical evaluation or treatment. |
After the event | Injury examination, evaluation and treatment. Comparison of clinical examination with baseline results and other complementary tests (eg for head injuries: neuropsychology and f-MRI results). | Equipment evaluation for defects. Evaluation of need for additional or improved safety equipment. | Evaluation of playing field/surface for contributing factors to injury. Evaluation of safety rules, and enforcement. Evaluation of need for educational intervention. |