Collegiate Athletic Trainers’ Experiences Planning for Return-to-Sports During COVID-19: A Qualitative Research Study

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the role of intercollegiate head athletic trainers in the process of planning to resume sport, as well as their experiences across the course of the pandemic to identify key strategies, challenges, and future considerations during the Covid-19 pandemic. Method: This exploratory, descriptive qualitative study was conducted via one-on-one semi structured interviews through the Zoom video conference technology. Twenty-four head athletic trainers across NCAA Division I, II, and III institutions participated in the study. Results: Emerging themes included the development of detailed, institution-specific plans with shared elements such as policies for testing and screening, modifications to facilities and cleaning, and incorporation of coach and athlete education. Athletic trainers discussed the processes they used to create their return-to-sport policies, which included professional development and interprofessional collaborations. While participants were confident in their plans, they acknowledged the need to overcome logistical and psychosocial challenges, such as the recognition that the success of their plans relied on numerous variables that could not be completely controlled. Conclusion: It is clear that NCAA ATs have played – and will continue to play – an integral role in overcoming challenges to promote a safe return-to-sports amidst the COVID-19 pandemic via education, policy making, and delivery of healthcare services. The challenges imposed by the accompanying set of circumstances have strained these ATs’ practical tendencies and procedures. ATs have met these challenges through collaboration, information-seeking, and acceptance of the situation. NCAA ATs have embraced the opportunity to lead the way towards safe, successful campus reopening and resumption of competition

Adolescent Athletes’ Perspectives on the Social Implications of Sport-Related Concussion

Purpose: Sport-related concussion can affect many domains of a patient’s health status. Social functioning is an important consideration, especially for adolescent athletes. Our purpose was to explore adolescent athletes’ social perspectives regarding sport and concussion. Methods: Using a qualitative study design we interviewed 12 interscholastic athletes who had sustained a sport-related concussion. The interviews focused on injury details, and explored the physical, psychosocial, emotional, and spiritual components of sport and health. Themes and categories were identified using the consensual qualitative research process by a three-person research team. A comprehensive codebook that captured the main themes and categories resulted. Results: Following concussion, participants discussed two primary themes: perceptions regarding the social aspects of sport and social perspectives regarding their concussion. Specific categories related to the social aspects of sport included: friendships and family and decision to participate based on peers. Specific categories regarding the social perspectives of the concussion included uncertainty of the diagnosis, perceptions of others regarding their injury, being ashamed of the concussion, parent and peer roles, and communication and expectation about their concussion. Conclusions: Participation in sport and removal from sport following a concussion have significant social implications for adolescent athletes. Specifically, the perceptions of peers, parents/guardians, and others regarding the injury can influence reporting of symptoms and recovery following concussion. Limited communication regarding recovery and expectations post-concussion may cause undue social pressures to return to activity prematurely. Providing a supportive environment in which patients can recover from concussion while engaging with peers and teammates is important. Anticipatory guidance, with education regarding the possible signs and symptoms, risk factors pre- and post-injury, and recovery expectations following a concussion are important to include in post-injury management and should be known to all stakeholders