Article Text
Abstract
Objectives To examine skaters’ beliefs about risk factors related to roller derby injuries.
Design Qualitative study based on semistructured focus group discussions with female roller derby skaters.
Methods Skaters with varying levels of experience and injury history were invited to participate in focus group discussions. Semistructured focus group discussions were based on the question ‘What factors do you believe contribute to roller derby injuries?’. Analysis of the data were organised into themes, summarised and interpreted, separated based on being an intrinsic or extrinsic factor and then reorganised by frequency of citation. Focus groups continued until no new themes were added to the data.
Results The factors discussed by derby skaters were divided into intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The most common intrinsic factors cited were behavioural and psychological, ‘knowing one’s body’ and internal pressure related to ‘not letting team down’. The most cited extrinsic factors were ‘unmatched skill level’ and ‘poor quality’ equipment.
Conclusions Female roller derby skaters contribute the greatest injury risk to new skaters not knowing their body and experienced skaters not considering new skaters skill levels. Knowing the factors that skaters perceive as increasing injury risk may contribute to interventions to decrease the frequency and severity of injuries. New findings include behavioural, psychological and social factors related to injury risk. Important considerations for healthcare providers treating roller derby skaters include the psychological and social factors that affect injury.
- sports
- qualitative
- risk factor
- injury
- prevention
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Footnotes
Contributors MLC initiated the study, making significant contributions to the design with input from MP. Both authors participated equally in the data collection process. MP conduced the initial analysis/interpretation with input and guidance from MLC. Both authors agreed on the final analysis. MP wrote the initial draft of the manuscript with significant revisions by MLC for the final version.
Competing interests None declared.
Patient consent Obtained.
Ethics approval The Institutional Review Board at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville approved the study procedures to ensure human rights and ethical guidelines were followed. The approval number is IRB #15-0521-2.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; internally peer reviewed.
Data sharing statement The manuscript describing the unpublished epidemiological data mentioned in this study is currently being written. The data manuscript will be submitted for publication in the next month.