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Nearly half of amateur hockey players suffer concussions: survey

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 08/17/2012 2:41 PM | Comments: 0

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Concussions can occur any time a player’s head is jolted or jarred. (THE CANADIAN PRESS)

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Forty-six per cent of Manitoba amateur hockey players suffered a concussion or concussion-like symptoms last year, according to the preliminary results of an online survey.

A total of 15,000 surveys were sent out ago six weeks ago to players between the ages of 13-21, parents, and coaches by researchers at the Pam Am Clinic Foundation, University of Manitoba and Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.

About 700 people have responded so far. Funding has been provided by the Winnipeg Jets/True North Foundation.

Dr. Peter MacDonald, survey co-author and orthopedic surgeon to the Winnipeg Jets and Winnipeg Blue Bombers, said the results so far are alarming despite the small sample.

"This might be a bigger problem than we ever imagined," MacDonald said Friday. "So far the numbers are quite alarming."

MacDonald also encouraged people contacted about the survey — contact information was supplied by Hockey Manitoba — to fill it out so that researchers can get a wider sample.

"The main take-home point is that this is a big problem, maybe bigger than what we anticipated and bigger than what the literature has previously reported," he said.

To participate in the survey go to www.panamclinic.org/foundation.asp.

MacDonald said the survey is being done to see if more education programs are needed to tell players, parents and coaches about concussions, how to recognize concussion symptoms, how to properly treat a concussion and most important how to prevent them.

Hockey Manitoba executive director Peter Woods said today at this point no one should jump to conclusions about the safety of young players on the ice.

He said the results of the survey offer only a small sampling of the number of people involved in the game and that more information has to be released about how the survey was conducted, who responded and to break-down whether the concussions documented were the result of player-to-player contact or something as simple as a single player tripping and falling on the ice.

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