Professional Action Sport Athletes’ Experiences with and Attitudes Toward Concussion: A Phenomenological Study

Authors

Caroline E. Faure, Idaho State UniversityFollow
John M. Fitzpatrick, Idaho State University

Abstract

This study examined the lived experiences and subsequent attitudes of freestyle BMX and motocross athletes relative to suffering concussions. Eleven professional athletes were interviewed using a semi-structured protocol. All cited a significant personal history with concussion and those personal accounts, along with their observations of others who experienced similar head injuries, shaped the athletes’ attitudes towards concussion. Both intrinsic and extrinsic factors contributed to each athlete’s acceptance of concussion risk inherent in their respective sport. Generally, athletes accepted concussion risk as part of their sport, but were largely unfamiliar with what concussion was and what long-term effects could result from a history of concussion. Additionally, athletes knew of no concussion protocols or guidelines in their sport and cited an overall lack of organized medical care accessible to them on an ongoing basis, as is the case with mainstream sports.

Keywords

Concussion, Action Sports, Freestyle BMX, Freestyle Motocross, Big Air, Mega Ramp, X Games

Author Bio(s)

Caroline E. Faure, EdD is a Professor in the Department of Sport Science and Physical Education at Idaho State University. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in sports medicine and sports management. She is also the Director of the Center for Sports Concussion at ISU and a practicing athletic trainer. She can be contacted at faurcaro@isu.edu.

John Fitzpatrick, PhD is an Associate Professor and Department Chair in the Department of Sport Science and Physical Education at Idaho State University. He teaches undergraduate and graduate classes in the areas of sport management and sport psychology.

Publication Date

10-10-2016

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2016.2366

Recommended APA Citation

Faure, C. E., & Fitzpatrick, J. M. (2016). Professional Action Sport Athletes’ Experiences with and Attitudes Toward Concussion: A Phenomenological Study. The Qualitative Report, 21(10), 1836-1854. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2016.2366