Cocreating a programme to prevent injuries and improve performance in Australian Police Force recruits: a study protocol

Myles C Murphy^{1

2}, Andrea B Mosler^{3

4}, Jonathan Hodgson¹, Sophia Nimphius⁵, Evert Verhagen⁶, Joanne Kemp^{3

4}, Alex Donaldson^{3

7}, Debra Langridge⁸, Vanessa R Sutton¹, Kay M Crossley^{3

4}, Clare L Ardern^{9

10}, Carolyn A Emery¹¹, Mary A Kennedy¹, Simone Radavelli-Bagatini¹, Martin Hägglund¹², Brady Green^{2

13}, G Gregory Haff^{14

15}, Garth Allen¹⁶, Andrea Bruder^{3

4

13}

Affiliations

¹ Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Perth, Australia.
² School of Health Sciences, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
³ La Trobe Sports and Exercise Medicine Research Centre, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
⁴ Australian IOC Research Centre, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
⁵ School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia.
⁶ Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO, Amsterdam UMC Locatie VUmc, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
⁷ Centre for Sport and Social Impact, La Trobe Business School, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
⁸ Consumer and Community Involvement Program, WA Health Translation Network, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
⁹ Department of Physical Therapy, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
¹⁰ Centre for Aging SMART, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
¹¹ Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
¹² Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Unit of Physiotherapy, Sport Without Injury Programme (SWIPE), Linköping University, Linkoping, Sweden.
¹³ Department of Physiotherapy, Podiatry, Prosthetics and Orthotics, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
¹⁴ Strength and Power Research Group, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia.
¹⁵ Exercise Medicine Research Institute, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia.
¹⁶ Western Australia Police Academy, Joondalup, Perth, Australia.

PMID: 40098919
PMCID: PMC11911811
DOI: 10.1136/bmjsem-2025-002531

Cocreating a programme to prevent injuries and improve performance in Australian Police Force recruits: a study protocol

Myles C Murphy et al. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2025.

. 2025 Mar 12;11(1):e002531.

doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2025-002531. eCollection 2025.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Perth, Australia.
² School of Health Sciences, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
³ La Trobe Sports and Exercise Medicine Research Centre, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
⁴ Australian IOC Research Centre, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
⁵ School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia.
⁶ Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO, Amsterdam UMC Locatie VUmc, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
⁷ Centre for Sport and Social Impact, La Trobe Business School, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
⁸ Consumer and Community Involvement Program, WA Health Translation Network, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
⁹ Department of Physical Therapy, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
¹⁰ Centre for Aging SMART, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
¹¹ Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
¹² Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Unit of Physiotherapy, Sport Without Injury Programme (SWIPE), Linköping University, Linkoping, Sweden.
¹³ Department of Physiotherapy, Podiatry, Prosthetics and Orthotics, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
¹⁴ Strength and Power Research Group, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia.
¹⁵ Exercise Medicine Research Institute, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia.
¹⁶ Western Australia Police Academy, Joondalup, Perth, Australia.

PMID: 40098919
PMCID: PMC11911811
DOI: 10.1136/bmjsem-2025-002531

Abstract

A healthy police force is a key component of a well-functioning society, yet 1 in 20 law enforcement recruits drop out of the recruit training programme due to injury. This drop-out rate has substantial economic and workforce ramifications. In the Western Australia Police Force, one in five recruits suffers a musculoskeletal injury during the recruit training programme, causing time-loss from work. We will now identify the critical elements of an injury prevention intervention and investigate the needs, experiences and suggested solutions to address potential implementation challenges. Our objective is to co-create an intervention with content and context experts, specifically for Western Australia Police Force recruits, to reduce injury prevalence, incidence rates and burden. A mixed-method participatory action research approach will guide intervention cocreation. Phase 1 will include concept mapping and phase 2 will include focus groups. This research will develop an intervention that the Western Australia Police Force can deliver to reduce injury prevalence, incidence rates and burden among recruits. The effectiveness of the intervention in reducing injury burden, economic burden and implementation will be evaluated.

Keywords: Injuries; Performance; Prevention.

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Conflict of interest statement

EV is the editor in chief, and MCM is an associate editor at the British Medical Journal Open Sport and Exercise Medicine. All other authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

**Figure 1. Processes which have informed the current protocol.**

**Figure 2. Summary of the co-creation process.**

See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

1. Lockie RG, Balfany K, Bloodgood AM, et al. The Influence of Physical Fitness on Reasons for Academy Separation in Law Enforcement Recruits. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16:372. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16030372. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
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1. Murphy MC, George H-A, Naqi M, et al. Musculoskeletal injury epidemiology in law enforcement and firefighter recruits during physical training: a systematic review. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2022;8:e001289. doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2021-001289. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Murphy MC, Stannard J, Sutton VR, et al. Epidemiology of musculoskeletal injury in military recruits: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2023;15:144. doi: 10.1186/s13102-023-00755-8. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Murphy M, Merrick N, Cowen G, et al. Physical and psychological factors related to injury, illness and tactical performance in law enforcement recruits: a systematic review. Inj Prev. 2025;31:9–17. doi: 10.1136/ip-2023-045150. - DOI - PubMed

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Cocreating a programme to prevent injuries and improve performance in Australian Police Force recruits: a study protocol

Affiliations

Cocreating a programme to prevent injuries and improve performance in Australian Police Force recruits: a study protocol

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Figures

References

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources