National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance System commentaries: introduction and methods.

Abstract

Athletic trainers and the NCAA have collaborated for 25 years through the NCAA ISS to create the largest ongoing collegiate sports injury database in the world. Data collection through the ISS, followed by annual review via the NCAA sport rules and sports medicine committee structure, isa unique mechanism that has led to significant advances in health and safety policy within and beyond college athletics.The publication of this special issue and the evolution of an expanded Web-based ISS enhance the opportunity to apply the health and safety decision-making process at the level of the individual athletic trainer and institution.