Date of Award

5-2015

Document Type

Thesis

College

Richard W.Riley College of Education

Degree Program

Physical Education, Sport, and Human Performance

Degree Name

Master of Science

Thesis Advisor

Alice J. McLaine

Committee Member

Shelley Hamill

Committee Member

Amber RadtkeFuncti

Keywords

Ice Hockey, East Coast Hockey League, Musculoskeletal Injury, Functional Movement Screen, Balance Error Scoring System

Abstract

Men’s ice hockey is a fast and exciting sport that draws elite athletes into its rink. The demands of the sport place athletes at an exceptionally high risk for musculoskeletal injury if they are not properly conditioned. Determining at risk athletes during pre-season screenings is of particular importance to the medical staff, and any opportunity to provide prophylactic treatment is sought after. The purpose of this study was to investigate a potential correlation between a) total FMS scores and total BESS scores, b) total FMS scores and the incidence of injury, c) total BESS scores and the incidence of injury, d) scores on the rotary stability screen and total BESS scores, and e) scores on the inline-lunge screen and total BESS scores. Data were collected using participants from one selected East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) team. Athletes completed the FMS and the BESS shortly after reporting for training camp and injuries were reported from the head athletic trainer from October through February of the 2014-2015 hockey season. Results indicated that no significant correlations were found between the FMS and the BESS; one screen could not predict scores or ability on the other. Neither the FMS nor the BESS were successful at identifying at risk athletes for potential injury and although the rotary stability and the in-line lunge screen require a great amount of balance and core stability, neither were significantly correlated, or able to predict ability on the BESS.

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