Date of Award
5-2025
Culminating Project Type
Thesis
Styleguide
apa
Degree Name
Sports Management: M.S.
Department
Kinesiology
College
School of Health and Human Services
First Advisor
Lori Ulferts
Second Advisor
Jennifer Robb
Third Advisor
Eric Brever
Fourth Advisor
Michael Uihlein
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Keywords and Subject Headings
Para-hockey, Para-athletics, injury prevention education
Abstract
Athletes who participate in para-hockey are subject to sustaining injuries. Injury prevention education and mitigation can play a critical role in reducing the risk of injuries. However, to date, there is limited research on the injuries sustained while participating in para-hockey and the accessibility that para-athletes have to injury prevention education. This present study aimed to evaluate the injuries suffered by rostered members of the U.S. Men’s National Sled Hockey Team and Women’s National Development Sled Hockey Team and their interest in participating in an injury prevention education program for para-hockey athletes. A cross-sectional survey was distributed to the athletes and included quantitative and qualitative questions, which 19 participants answered. The reported results indicated 78.9% of the participants had sustained an injury from para-hockey, however, only 26.5% of participants had participated in an injury prevention education program. Although no significant correlation was found between sustaining an injury and receiving injury prevention education (p = .946), data triangulation from the qualitative responses suggested that para-hockey athletes believe an injury prevention education program would be beneficial to enhance their performance and longevity in the sport.
Recommended Citation
Mezzapelle, Calista, "Status of Evaluating Injuries and Injury Prevention Education In United States Elite Para-Hockey Athletes" (2025). Culminating Projects in Kinesiology. 43.
https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/pess_etds/43
Comments/Acknowledgements
The support and knowledge I gained from Dr. Lori Ulferts, Dr. Jennifer Dysterheft-Robb, Dr. Mike Uihlein, and Eric Brever during this process was immense, and I could not thank them enough for pushing me to learn and grow throughout this experience. Thank you for believing in me.
I would like to thank the U.S. Men’s National Sled Hockey Team and U.S. Women’s National Development Sled Hockey Team for their participation in this study and the United States Olympic Paralympic Committee for their research approval. I hope this research has a small impact on the para-athletics community.