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LiVE: Sports and Exercise Safety Program in Finland

The aim of the LiVE program is to increase safety of sports and exercise in a nationwide setting. Injuries are prevented by enhancing awareness of injury risks, improving quality and contents of physical activity sessions and sport training, and taking care of sports environment and equipment

Target Groups 

The primary target groups of the program are 

  • young athletes, their coaches and parents 
  • elementary, secondary and vocational school pupils and their teachers. 

Program implementation 

The program is coordinated by the the UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research and implemented in co-operation with various Finnish educational institutes and sports federations.

Implementation of the national and international study findings are conducted in three projects. Read more about the projects on their own webpages:

Successful development and implementation of preventive strategies against sports injuries are likely to result in reduction in the absolute number of health problems and in sport, work and school absenteeism and decrease in medical costs. The effects of the LiVE programme will be seen within five to ten years.

Funding 

The Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health 
The Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture 

Contact 

Mari Leppänen, Research and Development Director, PhD  
mari.leppanen(a)ukkinstituutti.fi  

References 

Leppänen M, Aaltonen S, Parkkari J, Heinonen A, Kujala UM. Interventions to prevent sports related injuries: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Sports Med 2014;44:473-486 

Parkkari J, Taanila H, Suni J, Mattila VM, Ohrankämmen O, Vuorinen P, Kannus P, Pihlajamäki H. Neuromuscular training with injury prevention counselling to decrease the risk of acute musculoskeletal injury in young men during military service: a population-based randomised study. BMC Medicine 2011;9:35 

Pasanen K, Parkkari J, Pasanen M, et al. Neuromuscular training and the risk of leg injuries in female floorball players: cluster randomized controlled study. BMJ 2008;337:96-102. 

Last updated: 16.5.2024

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