Epidemiology of Injuries in the Professional Women's Swedish National IceHockey League Permitted to Body-Checking

Swedish Female Ice Hockey Injury Study

This research project can contribute to a deeper understanding of injury patterns among professional female ice-hockey players allowed to body check. An understanding of common injury types and mechanisms aids the clinician in diagnosis and management. This information can guide preventative strategies in the areas of education, coaching, rule enforcement, rule modifications, equipment improvement, and sportsmanship. Today, ice hockey is a sport associated with many severe injuries that not only causes suffering and lower quality of life for the athlete, but also costs society a lot of money. Reducing the number and severity of sport-related injuries is therefore of importance. Knowledge of the injury epidemiology of women's hockey could also contribute to better preventive training programs and other injury preventive actions in the sport. Currently, only a minority of all sports medicine research is made on female study participants (26). This research project has the possibility to gain more knowledge about the female athlete, not only applicable for elite hockey-players, but also for female athletes in different disciplines and in youth teams. Knowledge of factors associated with injury could also contribute to better injury preventive actions and highlight subgroups in extra need of future preventive interventions.

Inclusion Criteria:

• minimum 16 years of age, registered player in the highest Swedish professional ice hockey league for women, SDHL

Exclusion Criteria:

• age under 16 years.