Heads Above the Rest: Examining Head impacts in Canadian High School Football

Pankow, Mark Patrick

Heads Above the Rest: Examining Head impacts in Canadian High School Football

dc.contributor.advisor	Emery, Carolyn A.
dc.contributor.author	Pankow, Mark Patrick
dc.contributor.committeemember	Dennison, Christopher R.
dc.contributor.committeemember	Hagel, Brent E.
dc.contributor.committeemember	Mrazik, Martin
dc.date	2021-06
dc.date.accessioned	2021-04-22T18:17:39Z
dc.date.available	2021-04-22T18:17:39Z
dc.date.issued	2021-04-16
dc.description.abstract	This thesis contains three projects focused on concussion and head impacts in tackle football. First, is a systematic review and meta-analysis. Objective: To examine youth football concussion and head impact rates, modifiable risk factors, and football-specific prevention strategies. Methods: Nine databases were searched. Two authors (with a third to resolve disagreements) completed study screening and assessment of bias. Results: Concussion rates for high school (ages 13-19) and minor football (ages 5-15) were 0.78/1000 athlete exposures and 1.15/1000 athlete exposures. Of prevention strategies, contact training and contact restrictions had the strongest evidence supporting their effectiveness. Conclusions: The high rates of concussion and head impacts affirm the need for prevention strategies in youth football. The second manuscript investigated head impact rates in Canadian high school football. Objective: To describe head impact rates in Canadian high school football. Methods: Games (n=14) involving two teams were recorded during the 2019 season and analyzed to identify head impacts. Results: The offense experienced head impacts at a higher rate than the kicking and receiving units, but not the defense. Conclusion: To help reduce the head impact rates in this cohort, contact training emphasizing the removal of the head from contact may be beneficial. The third manuscript evaluated a score-based running time rule. Objective: To describe the effect of the score-based running time rule on the rates of head impacts in Canadian high school football. Methods: Video analysis was used to identify head impacts in games (n=14) involving two teams that were followed during the 2019 football season. Results: The rates of head impacts in games where running time came into effect were lower for the offense and defense, but not special team units (kicking team and receiving team). Conclusions: The score-based running time rule was associated with lower head impact rates for two of four team units.	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Pankow, M. P. (2021). Heads Above the Rest: Examining Head impacts in Canadian High School Football (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.	en_US
dc.identifier.doi	http://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/38763
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/1880/113279
dc.language.iso	eng	en_US
dc.publisher.faculty	Kinesiology	en_US
dc.publisher.institution	University of Calgary	en
dc.rights	University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.	en_US
dc.subject	Head Impact	en_US
dc.subject	Concussion	en_US
dc.subject	Football	en_US
dc.subject	Tackle Football	en_US
dc.subject	Video Analysis	en_US
dc.subject	Prevention	en_US
dc.subject	Primary Prevention	en_US
dc.subject	Youth	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Epidemiology	en_US
dc.title	Heads Above the Rest: Examining Head impacts in Canadian High School Football	en_US
dc.type	master thesis	en_US
thesis.degree.discipline	Kinesiology	en_US
thesis.degree.grantor	University of Calgary	en_US
thesis.degree.name	Master of Science (MSc)	en_US
ucalgary.item.requestcopy	true	en_US