National Medical Roller Derby Research

Photo: K. T. Ryder Wilkie, 10-14-07

From the rollergirls yahoo board comes this interesting post about a new medical study being done on injuries in roller derby. I think this is so fantastic. Good solid research will eventually help us to be safer. More safety = Less injuries = More kicking ass! I have already filled out this survey and I think you should, too. Right now.

Injury Experience in Roller Derby Athletes

Attention Roller Derby Girls!

Roller Derby is moving fast! Media exposure is expanding.

The next step is medical research! Sports medicine doctors at the University of Utah are studying Roller Derby injuries. By studying how athletes get hurt, they hope to figure out how to prevent future injuries and keep Derby Girls safely rolling.

Everyone's experience is important. Be heard by helping with this nationwide study. Follow the link below to answer some questions. Even if you haven't been injured, please fill out the survey. It will only take five or ten minutes, and we aren't collecting any names. We will collect your year of birth, insurance status, and description of non-Derby and Derby related injuries.

Your information is safe and will only be used for this research project. All data will be password-protected on a University website and database. However, with everything there may be risk- a potential risk may be loss of confidentiality. There is no reward for completing the survey; but, everyone's experience is important! Be heard by helping with this nationwide study.

Do you have any Roller Derby friends that didn't get this link? Please send this link to them – we don't want to miss anybody!

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints or if you feel you have been harmed by this research please contact Dutch Plante (Research Coordinator, Division of PM&R, University of Utah) at 801 585 6998.

Contact the Institutional Review Board (IRB) if you have questions regarding your rights as a research participant. Also, contact the IRB if you have questions, complaints or concerns which you do not feel you can discuss with the investigator. The University of Utah IRB may be reached by phone at (801) 581-3655 or by e-mail at irb@hsc.utah.edu.

Participation in this study is voluntary. You can choose not to take part and you can also choose not to finish the questionnaire or omit any question you prefer not to answer without penalty or loss of benefits.

By completing this questionnaire at the below listed web link, you are giving your consent to participate.

https://securembm.uuhsc.utah.edu/ESurvey/index.cfm?event=Run.Open&Run.RemoteKey=060105677678756371037467790F701170750416727B05657071021073797461

Thank you for your participation,
Ethan Colliver, D.O.
Stuart Willick, M.D.
University of Utah