Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Award Date

2019

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department / School

Health and Nutritional Sciences

First Advisor

Trevor Roiger

Keywords

collegiate athletes, concussion, orthopedic injury, physical activity, quality of life

Abstract

CONTEXT: Concussions and orthopedic injuries represent a significant risk related to participation in collegiate athletics. These injuries can create significant long-term impairments and functional limitations which may also decrease former athletes’ quality of life (QoL) and inhibit their ability to engage in physical activity. OBJECTIVE: To investigate QoL and physical activity levels of former collegiate athletes with a history of concussion and orthopedic injury, orthopedic injury only, and healthy controls. DESIGN: Descriptive, experimental study.
SETTING: Daily life as former National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I collegiate athlete.
PARTICIPANTS: Former Division I collegiate athletes competing in football, women’s soccer, baseball, softball, and women’s track with no history of injury or a history of concussion or orthopedic injury.
INTERVENTION(S): Participants completed the Short Form 36 version 2 (SF-36v2) quality of life questionnaire and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ).
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Differences in QoL and physical activity between participant groups, along with the association between QoL and physical activity, were assessed.
RESULTS: There were no significant differences in overall quality of life between the CON/OI, OI, and HC groups. Significant differences were found between the CON/OI and HC groups on the role physical subscale. Significant differences were found between the OI and CON/OI groups on the general health subscale and overall physical health. There were no significant differences in reported physical activity levels between CON/OI, OI, and HC groups, nor any association between physical activity and QoL.
CONCLUSIONS: Injury history has minimal impact on QoL in former Division I athletes between the ages of 23 and 32 years. These results suggest that decreases in QoL that former athletes may experience are most likely to develop well after cessation of competitive sport participation.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

College athletes -- Wounds and injuries.
Sports injuries.
Brain -- Concussion.
Quality of life -- Health aspects.
Head -- Wounds and injuries.
Orthopedics.
College athletes -- Retirement.

Format

application/pdf

Number of Pages

29

Publisher

South Dakota State University

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Rights Statement

In Copyright