Reaction time and speed as correlates of sports injury among students of football academics in Nigeria

Sports participation carries a risk for injuries, which may in some cases lead to permanent disability or death, hence; the need for attention on prevention. Physical fitness is a factor of sports injury. However, there is lack of sufficient evidence on relationship between specific components of physical fitness and sports injuries. This study therefore investigated reaction time and speed as they relate to sports injuries among students of football academies in Nigeria. Correlational research design was adopted for this study, and purposive sampling technique was used to select 128 students from three football academies. Standardised instruments and tests were used to measure the key parameters [i.e. speed and reaction time]. Physical characteristics that included weight, height, position of play, age, dominant leg and experience. Type of injury, part of body affected, event of injury and severity were also recorded. The data collection period was twelve weeks, and the data collected were analysed using percentage, mean, and Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient [PPMC] statistical tools. WINKS SDA package was used for analysis and hypothesis were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Findings of this study show that reaction time correlates with sports injuries sustained[r (107) =0.23, p = 0.02], while speed indicates no correlation[r (107) =0.12, p = 0.21]. It is concluded that the level of reaction time acquired and maintained by students of football academies influence the frequency of injury sustained as well as the severity of such injury; while speed level does not have any significant influence on sustenance of injury among the target group.