A recent study found that both male and female elite ice hockey players with a history of concussion have higher rates of mental health symptoms- such as burnout- than peers without the same medical history. The corresponding study was published in BMC Sports Science.
Studies show that exercise has a protective effect against mental health symptoms like depression. However, research also suggests that elite athletes have a similar susceptibility to various mental health issues as the general population. Head injuries from contact sports such as ice hockey may account for at least some of this discrepancy.
For the current study, researchers surveyed 648 active ice hockey players from Sweden's top ice hockey tiers for men and women. Data included lifetime concussive events, hazardous alcohol use, problematic use of social media, depression, anxiety, and burnout.
After adjusting for covariates, the researchers found that elite ice hockey players with three or more concussive events were 2.1 times more likely to develop depressive symptoms and 3.5 times more likely to develop symptoms of burnout compared to those with no history of concussion. The researchers further found that hazardous alcohol consumption was more common among male ice hockey players when compared to other athletes and the general population, although other mental health symptoms were less common.
Meanwhile, female ice hockey players reported more problematic alcohol consumption than another athlete sample, and higher rates of burnout than the general population.
The researchers noted that their study has some limitations. They noted, for example, that their findings may not be generalized to athletes in different sports or those competing at lower levels.
"Swedish hockey players at elite level need to know where and how they can get help. There is help available aimed at this target group. Imagine that you are an elite athlete who trains regularly, eats healthily, earns good money from the sport you love- and yet you are still struggling. Can you imagine how frightening and isolating that must feel? Not having to feel alone in your state of mind is important," said study author, Mitchell Andersson, doctoral student in psychiatry at Lund University, in a press release.
Sources: Science Daily, BMC Sports Science