Self Management of Acute Soft Tissue Injuries: A Survey of Female Gaelic Football Players

Abstract

Background: Within Gaelic football, high rates of inju ry have been reported. The Ladies Gaeli c Football Association has 100,000 members; however no injury management research currently exists within this population . The aim of this study was to survey th e knowledge of sen ior level ladies Gaelic football club fclayer.s of acute soft tissue inju ry management. Secondary' aims were to investigate the treatments employed ollow ln g injury and player awareness of potentially harmful post injury pra cti ces. Meth~ds: A questionnaire exploring demographic, treatm ent, and PRICE (Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) details was constructed. Results: All six sen ior County C lare ladies Gaelic football club teams were sampled, and a response rate of 95% was achieved. 43 .9 % of respondents knew four or more of the PRICE letters. Treatments employed by respondents included ice (61 .8%), physiotherapy (59.2%) and rest (36.8%). 27.6% of participants would aVOid three or more of the following immediately post injury; heat, alcohol, vigorous exercise and vigorous massage. If respondents were to use ice as a form of treatment in the initial stages folloWing injury, 85.7% of them would commence th e intervention immediately aher injury, and it would be applied by players everyone (54.4%) or two (22.2%) hours. ~onclusion: The PRICE reg im e was moderately well known by thi~ pc:pulation. Poor knowledge of potentially armful post injury practices and recommended cry'otherapy appll~atlo~ was reporte~. As th e evidence concerning the PRICE gU id elin es is not conclUS ive, further researc h In thi S area IS required.