Effectiveness of an educational video on concussion knowledge in minor league hockey players: a cluster randomised controlled trial

Background With the heightened awareness of concussions in all sports, the development and implementation of effective prevention strategies are necessary. Education has been advocated as an effective injury prevention intervention. Purpose To examine the effectiveness of the ‘Smart Hockey: More Safety, More Fun’ video on knowledge transfer among minor league hockey players. Study Design Cluster-randomised controlled trial. Methods A total of 267 participants from two age divisions and competitive levels were assigned to either a video or no-video group. The video was shown (or not shown) to the entire team as a result of random assignment. To evaluate the effectiveness of the educational video, questionnaires specific to concussion knowledge and players’ attitudes and behaviours were completed. Results There was a significant increase in the players’ concussion knowledge scores immediately following exposure to the video (F(1,103)=27.00, p