This is a cross-sectional survey study investigating how medical team staff in elite Swedish ice hockey perceive hand and wrist injuries in male and female players.

Hand and wrist injuries are common in ice hockey and can affect both performance and participation. While injury registries describe how often these injuries occur, less is known about how they are managed and prioritised in daily clinical practice, or whether there are differences in perception between medical teams working in male and female elite leagues.

In this study, physiotherapists and team physicians working in Swedish elite ice hockey (including SHL, HockeyAllsvenskan, and SDHL) will complete a structured questionnaire. The survey examines perceptions of injury frequency, underreporting, functional impact, clinical management strategies, and return-to-play decision-making related to hand and wrist injuries.

The aim is to better understand how medical teams experience and manage these injuries in real-world elite sport settings, and to identify potential gaps between epidemiological data and clinical practice. The study may help inform future injury prevention strategies, improve clinical decision-making, and support the development of more standardized management approaches in elite ice hockey.

No interventions or treatments are performed in this study.

This is a cross-sectional survey study designed to investigate how medical team staff in elite Swedish ice hockey perceive the burden, clinical relevance, and management of hand and wrist injuries in male and female players.

Hand and wrist injuries represent a substantial proportion of injuries in ice hockey and are known to affect both short-term performance and participation. While epidemiological data from injury surveillance systems and registry-based studies provide important information on incidence, injury type, and mechanisms, these data primarily reflect medically recorded or time-loss injuries. As a result, they may not fully capture ongoing symptoms, subclinical functional limitations, or injuries managed conservatively without formal reporting. This may create a gap between observed injury epidemiology and the clinical reality experienced by team medical staff.

To explore this gap, the study targets physiotherapists and physicians working within elite Swedish ice hockey organizations, including teams from the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), HockeyAllsvenskan, and the Swedish Women's Hockey League (SDHL). Participants will complete a structured 13-item questionnaire distributed during scheduled medical staff meetings. The questionnaire is completed anonymously and individually.

The survey includes domains addressing perceived frequency and severity of hand and wrist injuries, perceived underreporting of symptoms, functional consequences during training and competition, and clinical management strategies including rehabilitation approaches and return-to-play decision-making. Additional items explore perceived variability in practice and areas where improved clinical guidelines or standardized approaches may be needed.

Responses consist of categorical and ordinal variables and are analyzed descriptively. The study is exploratory in nature and aims to characterize patterns in clinical perception rather than test predefined hypotheses.

All data are collected at a single time point, and no follow-up assessments, interventions, or clinical procedures are performed. Data are fully anonymized, and no identifiable team- or individual-level information is recorded. The study is intended to complement existing epidemiological and registry-based research by providing insight into clinical decision-making and perception within elite ice hockey medical teams.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Physiotherapists working with elite ice hockey teams in Sweden (SHL, HockeyAllsvenskan, SDHL)
• Team physicians working with elite ice hockey teams in Sweden (SHL, HockeyAllsvenskan, SDHL)
• Massage therapists and sports massage practitioners working with elite ice hockey teams in Sweden
• Athletic trainers and performance staff involved in player health and injury management in elite ice hockey teams in Sweden
• Currently active in a medical or performance support role within a participating elite ice hockey team during the study period
• Able to understand and complete the questionnaire in Swedish or English Provides informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Refusal to participate
• Not currently active in a medical, therapeutic, or performance support role within elite ice hockey during the study period

Medical support staff are recruited from elite ice hockey organizations in Sweden, including teams competing in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), HockeyAllsvenskan, and the Swedish Women's Hockey League (SDHL). The population includes individuals working in team-based medical and performance support roles such as physicians, physiotherapists, athletic trainers, and massage therapists. Participants are drawn from active staff lists within participating clubs and are invited to take part during scheduled medical or team staff meetings within the competitive season period.

Any data shared with colleagues or collaborating researchers will be fully anonymized or pseudonymized to protect participant privacy in accordance with GDPR regulations. Data transfers will occur under strict confidentiality agreements, and all parties will adhere to applicable data protection laws to ensure the security and privacy of personal information. We will act in accordance with the ethical approval granted by the Swedish Ethical Review Authority (EPM) and comply with all relevant local policies regarding data protection.

From the publication of the protocol and for 10 years thereafter.

Access to individual participant data is typically restricted to authorized researchers involved in the study or approved collaborators under strict confidentiality and data protection agreements.