A proper start, begins with tailor-made advice – Implementation of RunFitCheck

Running is one of the most popular forms of exercise in the Netherlands, with 2.1 million runners. While being active through running has undeniable beneficial health effects, running is also associated with a high risk of musculoskeletal injuries. The incidence of running-related injuries (RRIs) is reported to range from 3 to 59 injuries per 1,000 exposure hours. In 2014, after football, the highest number of injuries (N=710,000) in the Netherlands were sustained in running. Several risk factors have been identified for RRIs with a history of previous injury in the past 12 months being the main risk factor. The literature also shows that especially novice runners seem to be at high risk of sustaining an RRI. To safeguard sports participants against injuries, and consequently from withdrawal from their activities, effective injury-preventive measures have been made compulsory in some competitive sports, such as helmets in bicycle races or shin guards in football. However, for running, a behavioral change is necessary first to increase the use of effective measures and second to reduce the number of running-related injuries. To stimulate injury preventive behavior in runner, a tailor-made digital intervention (RunFitCheck) was developed in 2016 by running experts, and researchers, in co-creation with the target group and an organization specialized in creative preventive interventions. With the use of RunFitCheck, novice and little experienced runners receive tailored advice, based on 1] the amount of stress or force a person can put on the body (based on fitness, body weight, sports history, etc. (physical capacity)), and 2] goal-setting behavior of the athlete (e.g. running 5 K within six weeks, running a marathon). Runners are advised to adjust their training and training load (use a running schedule, do strength exercises, do an active warm-up) to their physical capacity and running goals. The effectiveness of RunFitCheck was measured in a randomized controlled trial. RunFitCheck was effective in stimulation injury preventive behavior in runners related to searching for information and performing a warm-up. Furthermore, runners in the intervention group added more specific running exercises to their warm-up protocol. Runners in the intervention group were also stimulated to search for information about injury preventive measures in running, and half of the intervention group performed the strength exercises that were available in RunFitCheck. Finally, at three and five months, more runners in the intervention group searched for a running scheme, and created a personalized running scheme compared to runners in the control group. PROJECT AIM The aim of this project is to implement RunFitCheck, an effective intervention in changing injury preventive behaviour in runners. This aim main can be divided in the following objectives: -To develop a structured and evidence-based implementation (delivery) plan tailored to running contexts in order to promote the structured implementation of RunFitCheck. - To implement RunFitCheck to stimulate injury preventive behaviour in runners, in accordance to the developed implementation plan. - To evaluate the implementation of RunFitCheck in running according to the RE-AIM framework. PROJECT APPROACH First, a structured and evidence-based implementation (delivery) plan tailored to running contexts will be developed in order to promote the structured implementation of RunFitCheck (stage 5 TRIPP). The implementation (and marketing and communications) plan will be developed with use of e.g. the implementation tools by ZonMw and a theoretical framework, and in collaboration with all the partners and the target group. The target group of this project consists of novice and semi-novice runners aged 18 and older, both men and women. We will strive to optimize the possibilities for usability, accessibility, and implementation of RunFitCheck. After the development of the strategy, the implementation will take place according to this strategy. For the evaluation of the implementation of RunFitCheck, the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) Sport Setting Matrix (SSM) framework will be applied. In order to measure the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance of the intervention a comprehensive process evaluation will take place. The participants in this study are runners, both men and women, aged 18 years and older. The outcomes will be accessed repeatedly during the implementation phase. The results of the project are disseminated through scientific articles in international and national peer-review journals, as well as through lectures at international and national conferences. The results of the project are also embedded within the regular communication channels of the project partners. Finally, all results of the project are communicated through ‘Kenniscentrum Sport’.