Michael Stuart (physician)
He collaborated to arrange the 2010, 2013 and 2017 Ice Hockey Summits, which focused on concussions, and educational programs for players, coaches and parents.
[6] As of 2022, he is a member of the American Journal of Sports Medicine editorial board, and the Minnesota State High School League medical advisory committee.
[2] Stuart has published more than 370 journal articles and 50 book chapters as of 2022,[2] including the subjects of epidemiology and prevention of sports injuries.
[6] He co-authored a study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine in 2002, which tracked 282 players and injuries in the United States Hockey League.
In collaboration with USA Hockey in 2012, the Mayo Clinic published a video demonstrating the danger of players ducking their heads before contact with the boards of an ice rink.
[13][14] The summit focused on youth head injuries, how to prevent concussions, and educational programs for the players, coaches and parents.
[14] Stuart felt that, "younger players need to first develop their skills, and those who administer the game must strive to minimize injury risk— especially to the brain".
[15] Discussions at the summit resulted in six steps to deal with concussions; which included "standardized databases and metrics, enhanced recognition, diagnosis, management and return-to-play guidelines, analysis of the influence of equipment and facilities, education and prevention, rule changes, policies and enforcement, and communications".
The Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center collaborated with Minnesota Hockey to compile data from these rule changes, which resulted a steady decrease in checking-from-behind penalties.
[16] At the 2014 USA Hockey annual congress, Stuart sought to reduce concussions and raise awareness on head injuries.
According to Stuart, scientific evidence supported removing fighting in junior hockey, when players and their brains are still developing physically.
[19] Stuart led a cognitive neuroscience study in collaboration with Ryan D'Arcy published in 2021, which tracked vital signs and brain function for multiple years in male youth ice hockey players.
[3][4] In a 2014 interview, Stuart stated that the most common ailments to hockey players at the Olympics were concussions, and injuries to shoulders and knees.
[24] In addition to hockey, Stuart oversaw medical care for the entire US delegation to the 2022 Winter Olympics, which included international COVID-19 protocols and testing for doping in sport.
[3][5][22] Stuart's daughter Cristin, was captain of the Boston College Eagles women's ice hockey team, and was married to NHL player Nate Thompson.
[2][6][22] He was inducted into the Rochester Lourdes High School athletics hall of fame, with receipt of the Gene Eiden Award in 2017.
