Chloe Oleksiuk, Danielle Alexander-Urquhart, Jeffrey Caron

Researchers have found that women athletes are particularly susceptible to incurring sport-related concussion (SRC), and that women experience more severe SRC symptoms than men. Among women athletes, ice hockey players experience high rates of SRCs (Fahr et al., 2024). In fact, researchers have found that women ice hockey players have either comparable (Williamson et al., 2023) or higher (MacCormick et al., 2014) SRC rates than males. Although body contact is prohibited in the women’s game, athletes experience frequent contact and collisions, and athletes that incur unsuspecting head impacts could experience higher head accelerations (Wilcox et al., 2014). Despite the growing popularity of women’s ice hockey, and the Government of Canada’s commitment to achieving gender equity in sport by 2035 (Heritage, 2017), researchers have found that women in ice hockey often do not receive the same level of medical support as men. This proposed qualitative study will use interviews to explore the lived experiences of approximately 15 high performance women ice hockey players from competitive leagues (e.g. university, professional) with SRCs. During the interviews, we will encourage participants to reflect on factors (e.g., aggression, sport culture) that may influence SRC risk, prevention, and management. To analyze the data, we plan on using creative analytical practices (Cavallerio, 2022) to develop 1-2 composite vignettes that provide engaging and relatable stories of SRCs in women’s ice hockey. By focusing on women’s experiences in ice hockey, a traditionally male-dominated sport in Canada, we can contribute to SRC prevention and management efforts within this population.