Lifetime prevalence of concussion among Canadian ice hockey players aged 10 to 25 years old, 2014 to 2017.

BACKGROUND: The primary objective of this study was to identify the self-reported lifetime prevalence of diagnosed concussions among Canadian ice hockey players aged 10 to 25 years old.
METHOD: Medical records were identified for n=5223 athletes whom completed comprehensive baseline assessments with a Canada-wide network of private concussion management clinics. Variables extracted included: sex, age, diagnosed history of and number of prior concussions, diagnosed health condition(s), and Post-Concussion Symptom Scale scores.
RESULTS: Approximately 22% of all athletes, 21.7% of females and 21.8% of males reported that they had sustained at least one diagnosed concussion. Age was significantly associated with history of concussion as was having an additional health condition. Sex was not significantly associated with a history of concussion.
CONCLUSION: Lifetime history of concussion prevalence estimates aligned closely with estimates previously published. Future investigations should seek to establish the prevalence of concussions that occur during ice hockey games and practices alone. © JCCA 2019.