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NCT Number: NCT07586085

Medical Team Perspectives on Hand and Wrist Injuries in Elite Male and Female Ice Hockey Players

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.

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Key information

Conditions

Ice Hockey Hand Injuries Medical Staff Perception Wounds and Injuries Wrist

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Center for Clinical Research Dalarna, Uppsala University

Falun, Dalarna County, 79182, Sweden

About 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.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

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

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

  1. Perceived Injury Burden Based on Time-Loss Ranking of Injury Locations

    Time frame: Baseline (cross-sectional survey at enrollment)

    Ranking of injury locations based on perceived contribution to total time-loss in elite ice hockey, as reported by medical staff. Injury locations include head/face, shoulder, knee, groin, hand/wrist, and other specified regions.

    Unit of Measure:

    Ordinal ranking (1 = highest burden, 2 = second highest, 3 = third highest)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Frequency of Playing With Hand and Wrist Symptoms

    Time frame: Baseline (cross-sectional survey at enrollment)

    Self-reported frequency of players participating in training or matches despite hand or wrist symptoms, as perceived by medical staff.

    Unit of Measure:

    5-point ordinal scale:

    • = Never
    • = Rarely
    • = Sometimes
    • = Often
    • = Very Often

    Higher scores indicate greater frequency of players participating while symptomatic.

  2. Frequency of Hand and Wrist Symptoms Without Formal Diagnosis

    Time frame: Baseline (cross-sectional survey at enrollment)

    Description:

    Self-reported frequency of observed hand and wrist symptoms in players that are not formally diagnosed, as perceived by medical staff.

    Unit of Measure:

    5-point ordinal scale:

    • = Never
    • = Rarely
    • = Sometimes
    • = Often
    • = Very Often

    Higher scores indicate greater frequency of symptoms occurring without formal diagnosis.

  3. Perceived Extent of Underreporting of Hand and Wrist Injuries

    Time frame: Baseline (cross-sectional survey at enrollment)

    Description:

    Self-reported perception of the extent to which hand and wrist injuries are underreported in elite ice hockey, as assessed by medical staff.

    Unit of Measure:

    5-point ordinal scale:

    • = Not at all
    • = To a small extent
    • = To a moderate extent
    • = To a large extent
    • = To a very large extent

    Higher scores indicate greater perceived underreporting.

  4. Type of Hand and Wrist Problems Perceived as Underreported

    Time frame: Baseline (cross-sectional survey at enrollment)

    Description:

    Type of hand and wrist injury or symptom most commonly perceived as being underreported in elite ice hockey, as reported by medical staff.

    Unit of Measure:

    Categorical (single choice):

    Fractures Ligament injuries Tendon or muscle injuries Non-specific pain or overuse Uncertain

  5. Functional Impact of Hand and Wrist Injuries

    Time frame: Baseline (cross-sectional survey at enrollment)

    Description:

    Functions most commonly perceived as affected by hand and wrist injuries in ice hockey players, as reported by medical staff.

    Unit of Measure:

    Categorical (multiple selection, up to 2 choices):

    Grip strength Stick handling Shooting Face-offs Physical play / board play

  6. Consistency of Return-to-Play Decisions

    Time frame: Baseline (cross-sectional survey at enrollment)

    Description:

    Self-reported consistency of return-to-play decisions for players with hand and wrist injuries, as perceived by medical staff.

    Unit of Measure:

    5-point ordinal scale:

    • = Very inconsistent
    • = Inconsistent
    • = Variable
    • = Consistent
    • = Very consistent

    Higher scores indicate greater consistency in return-to-play decision-making.

  7. Presence of Standardized Management Approach for Hand and Wrist Injuries

    Time frame: Baseline (cross-sectional survey at enrollment)

    Description:

    Whether a standardized approach is used for assessment and management of hand and wrist injuries within the team medical staff structure.

    Unit of Measure:

    Categorical (single choice):

    Yes No Partially

  8. Perceived Performance Impact Ranking of Injury Locations

    Time frame: Baseline (cross-sectional survey at enrollment)

    Ranking of injury locations based on perceived impact on player performance during participation despite symptoms, as reported by medical staff. Injury locations include head/face, shoulder, knee, groin, hand/wrist, and other specified regions.

    Unit of Measure:

    Ordinal ranking (1 = highest performance impact, 2 = second highest, 3 = third highest)

  9. Frequency of Participation With Hand and Wrist Symptoms

    Time frame: Baseline (cross-sectional survey at enrollment)

    Perceived frequency of players participating in training or matches while experiencing hand or wrist symptoms.

    Unit of Measure:

    5-point ordinal scale:

    • = Never
    • = Rarely
    • = Sometimes
    • = Often
    • = Very often

    Higher scores indicate greater frequency of participation while symptomatic.

  10. Frequency of Hand and Wrist Symptoms Without Formal Diagnosis

    Time frame: Baseline (cross-sectional survey at enrollment)

    Perceived frequency of hand and wrist symptoms in players that are not formally diagnosed by medical staff.

    Unit of Measure:

    5-point ordinal scale:

    • = Never
    • = Rarely
    • = Sometimes
    • = Often
    • = Very often

    Higher scores indicate greater frequency of symptoms occurring without formal diagnosis.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Daniel Muder, MD, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

+46722027596

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Dalarna County Council, Sweden

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Medical Team Perspectives on Hand and Wrist Injuries in Elite Ice Hockey: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study in Male and Female Players

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
May 14, 2026
Registry last updated
Jun 5, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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