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Bakgrund: Ishockey är en sport som i studier visat sig ha en hög skadefrekvens. Sporten utövas av kvinnor likväl som män men hur sporten spelas skiljer sig åt beroende av kön samt mellan olika länder. En kartläggning av skadeproblematiken utgör första steget i ett skadepreventivt arbete. Dock finns i dagsläget inga studier angående skadepanoramat inom svensk damishockey. Syfte: Att kartlägga skadeproblematiken inom svensk damishockey utifrån ålder, antal exponeringstimmar, skadelokalisation, skadetillfälle, skadefrekvens samt hur lång matchfrånvaro skador föranleder. Att undersöka samband mellan skadefrekvens och exponeringstimmar samt skadefrekvens och ålder. Metod: En webbaserad enkät utformades i en retrospektiv design. Populationen var samtliga spelare aktiva i riksserien och division 1 i Sverige under säsongen 2013-2014. Data insamlades fortlöpande under tre veckor i februari 2014. Resultatsammanfattning: Antal kompletta enkätsvar som inkluderades var 137, ca 25 % av populationen. Den vanligaste skadelokalisationen var knät (20 %, n = 25). Knäskador var även kopplade till näst längst matchfrånvaro (medelvärde: 6,5 veckor). Mellan träning och match var skadefördelningen jämn. Flest matchskador inträffade i period 2 (45 %). En signifikant korrelation kunde ses gällande ökat antal skador vid ökat antal exponeringstimmar. Ingen korrelation mellan ålder och skadefrekvens noterades.  Konklusion: Denna studie visar, liksom studier på herrishockey och damishockey i Nordamerika, att knäskador är vanligt förekommande samt att flest matchskador sker i period två. I motsats till föregående studier visar denna ingen signifikant skillnad i skador sett till ökad ålder. Även huvudskadorna visade kraftigt lägre siffror än vad tidigare presenterats inom ishockey. Vidare studier behövs för att kunna utarbeta skadeförebyggande åtgärder framförallt för knäskador / Background: Ice hockey is a sport with high risk for injuries. The practitioners of the sport are both males and females, yet how the game is played differs due to gender and country. Mapping out injuries within the population makes a first step towards injury prevention. However, there are no studies regarding the prospect of injuries in Swedish female ice hockey.  Purpose: Mapping out age, exposure to the sport, location, occasion and time loss related to injuries. Study correlation between player age and number of injuries; exposure hours and number of injuries. Procedure: A web-based questionnaire was made in a retrospective design. The population were all players in riksserien and division 1 in Sweden during the season 2013-2014. Data were collected continuously during three weeks in February 2014. Results: The number of complete questionnaires included was 137, approximately 25 % of the population. The most common injury localisation was the knee (20 %, n = 25). Knee injuries also had the second longest absence from gameplay (mean: 6,5 weeks). The distribution of injuries between training and gameplay were equal. The highest number of injuries during gameplay occurred in the second period (45 %). A significant correlation indicated that more injuries occurred with more exposure hours. No correlation between age and injury were found.  Conclusions: This study shows, as studies on men’s ice hockey and female ice hockey in North America that knee injuries are common and that most of injuries during gameplay occurs in the second period. In opposite to previous studies this study shows no correlation between injuries and age. The head-injuries also showed lower numbers than previous studies. Further studies need to be done to work out interventions for injury prevention, especially for knee injuries.

Peripheral nerve injuries can cause serious health problems and result in lifelong disabilities. Although researchers have been studying peripheral nerve injuries, patients may not regain complete function of their muscles even after surgeries to repair their nerves are performed. However, animal studies have shown that after peripheral nerve cut and repair (muscle self-reinnervation), stretch-reflex in the affected muscles does not recover, which may affect the muscle electromyographic (EMG) activity of all muscle synergists, as well as joint kinematics. The aim of this study is to determine the effects of the self-reinnervation of the lateral gastrocnemius (LG) and soleus (SO) muscles in the hind limb of felines on the mean EMG activity of the intact synergist medial gastrocnemius (MG), as well as the moments at the knee and ankle joints during different walking conditions: level (0%), downslope (-50%), and upslope (+50%). The EMG activity and joint kinematics were recorded on the three different walking conditions before and 12 weeks after the self-reinnervation of LG and SO when these muscles recovered their activity. The self-reinnervation of the two muscles caused the MG EMG activity to increase for all walking conditions. However, the changes in the knee and ankle moments differed depending on the three different walking conditions. It was concluded that the changes in EMG and joint moments after self-reinnervation could be caused by the absence of stretch-reflex in the affected muscles and/or changes in physiological properties of muscles.

It has been well documented that providing informal care for a person with a traumatic brain injury can be burdensome. The goal of this research was to discover the effects of two stressors, severity of daily hassles and distress caused by the behavioral problems exhibited by the person with the brain injury, and two supports, social support and income, on the caregiver burden and quality of life felt by caregivers.Data were collected using questionnaires sent via postal mail to members of the Brain Injury Associations of Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. Each packet contained a demographic questionnaire, the Social Provisions Scale, the Head Injury Behavior Scale, the Daily Hassles Scale, the Caregiver Burden Scale and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Ninety-one respondents returned usable protocols. Hierarchical regressions were utilized to analyze the data.When controlling for demographic variables, stressors were found to account for a statistically significant proportion of the variance in subjective caregiver burden but not in satisfaction with life. When controlling for both demographic variables and stressors, supports were not found to significantly predict either subjective burden or satisfaction with life. Upon further investigation, it was found that behavioral distress was most predictive of caregiver burden and the severity of daily hassles was the next most predictive variable of burden.This research was limited by the Midwest location of the participants and their lack of ethnic and gender diversity. Additionally, each respondent had access to support groups and they all had time to fill out the questionnaires. It is likely the case that many caregivers do not have this kind of support or the time to complete unnecessary paperwork. Finally, all of the factors affecting burden and quality of life for caregivers could not possibly be accounted for. Future research should account for a more diverse group of caregivers and assess some of the less frequently researched predictors. Scales more specific to caring for a person with a brain injury could be developed and utilized to explore sources of satisfaction for caregivers. Finally, more attention could be paid to the overall quality of life of caregivers. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

Thigh muscle strength and endurance were measured following partial arthroscopic meniscectomy of the knee in 24 patients divided into group 1 (age < 20 yr), group 2 (age 24-40 yr), and group 3 (age > 50 yr). Subjects were studied during and after release from isokinetic rehabilitation. Isokinetic testing was performed at 1.04, 2.09, 3.14, 4.19, and 5.24 radians/second, with release from rehabilitation when quadriceps strength achieved 85% recovery of the non-surgical leg.No significant difference existed among the 3 groups in days from the time of surgery to the start of the first test or for the weeks to release from rehabilitation. Approximately 50% quadricep muscle strength loss was observed at the time of the initial isokinetic test. Quadriceps torque (mean + SE) measured in newton-meters for group 1 at the 1.04 rad/sec speed showed the surgical leg significantly weaker (P<0.001) than the non-surgical leg when tested at the initial test (101.6 +18.2 vs. 189.6 +17.2) and at release from rehabilitation (157.4 +13.3 vs. 176.3 +15.2). Torque measured at the other 4 speeds reached non-significance by the second or third week of rehabilitation. Isokinetic testing for groups 2 and 3 showed surgical leg strength significantly weaker (P<0.05) at the initial test and at week 1 of rehabilitation for the 5 testing speeds, with 85% return of strength by weeks 2 or 3. Strength recovery for all 3 groups showed no significant weakness between legs for hamstring torque after the initial or after the first week of rehabilitation. Percent of knee extensor torque achieved by the knee flexor muscles of the surgical leg for the 3 groups showed significantly greater (P<0.001) values only for the initial test at speeds 1.04 and 2.09 rad/sec. Measures of total work, average power, and endurance calculated from work tests showed little change in muscle endurance between legs.These data indicate that quadricep muscle function is negatively affected following arthroscopic meniscectomy. Release from rehabilitation when surgical to non-surgical leg strength is between 85% to 90X appears to be a valid measure for most patients, which indicates age alone does not appear to be a limiting factor in regaining strength.

Serum lactic dehydrogenase, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, and lactic dehydrogenase isoenzyme (LDH5) levels were studied on fifteen Ball State University athletes who sustained contusions, hematomas, and muscle strains.Each individual's injury was classified as mild, moderate, or severe. There were seven subjects sustaining injuries classified as mild, seven receiving moderate injuries, and one individual with a severe injury.Serum enzyme levels of all subjects were elevated above controls after injury and then proceeded to decline unless re-injury occurred.The enzyme levels for the moderate group, as demonstrated by the graphs, revealed more marked elevations for LDH and GOT than did the ones in the mild group.A significant statistical difference was found to exist between the mild and moderate groups involving the total LDH. There were no statistical differences between these groups Sand the GOT or LDH5 isoenzyme levels.

In the aftermath of an acquired brain injury, many survivors and their family members struggle to maintain their preferred identities. This is particularly so given the relational nature of storytelling and the numerous power relations functioning to silence and restrict certain stories, while others are allowed to be told. This study employs a qualitative methodology, narrative constructionist inquiry, in order to examine the stories of three participants following their involvement in a multi-family outdoor adventure program for brain injury survivors. The aims of the program were to provide opportunities for families to engage in outdoor adventure activities together, such as hiking, sea kayaking and challenge courses, so they could strengthen their relationships with themselves, each other, and their communities. Through an exploration of their stories, valuable insights regarding the shifts in narrative identity that occurred following brain injury are illuminated. Further, reflections pertaining to the importance of social contexts, nature and adventure, and the value of hope in the construction of preferred identities are discussed. Finally, recommendations for future research and practice are offered. / Graduate

OBJECTIVES: To determine the relationship between composite FMS score and the risk of time-loss injury in experienced male rugby union athletes, and in addition, to determine the relationship between FMS-determined bilateral movement asymmetries and the risk of time-loss injury in these athletes. DESIGN: Analytical cohort study. SETTING: Rugby union on-field training and competition, and athletic therapy rooms at the University of Victoria or at Rugby Canada’s Center of Excellence, Victoria BC. PARTICIPANTS: 76 experienced, male rugby union athletes (mean age 21.6±2.7 years). MEASUREMENTS: Participants completed surveys pertaining to demographic, anthropometric, injury history, and involvement in rugby union information. The main outcome measures were time-loss injury incidence and FMS scores. RESULTS: Odds ratio analyses revealed that when compared to those scoring at least 14.5, players with FMS scores below 14.5 were 10.42 times (95%CI: 1.28-84.75, Fisher’s exact test, one-tailed, p=0.007) more likely to have sustained time-loss injury (+LR=7.08, -LR=0.72, specificity=0.95, sensitivity=0.35) in Season One and 4.97 times (95%CI: 1.02-24.19, Fisher’s exact test, one-tailed, p=0.029) more likely in Season Two (+LR=3.56, -LR=0.71 specificity=0.90, sensitivity=0.36). Participants scoring below 15.5 on the FMS were also at significantly greater risk of injury, exhibiting a risk of injury 3.37 times (95%CI: 1.12-10.14, Fisher’s exact test, one-tailed, p=0.027) greater than players with higher FMS scores in Season Two (+LR=1.84, -LR=0.55, specificity=0.65, sensitivity=0.64), but not in Season One. The presence of bilateral asymmetries was not associated with increased likelihood of time-loss injury. CONCLUSIONS: Experienced male rugby union athletes with preseason FMS scores below 14.5 are 5-10 times more likely to sustain one or more time-loss injuries in a competitive season when compared to athletes with FMS scores of at least 14.5. The quality of fundamental movement, as assessed by the FMS, is predictive of time-loss injury risk in experienced rugby union athletes and should be considered an important preseason player assessment tool. / Graduate

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