A study on the epidemiology of ice hockey injuries was recently published in
Sports Health. Knowledge about the common injuries and their mechanism is sueful to aide in the diagnosis and treatment of injuries in hockey athletes.
A bit of background...
Ice hockey is currently played in 76 countries. It is a dynamic sport that can include skating at speeds approaching 30 miles per hour (mph)! Contact and checking are commonplace, and fighting still occurs in some junior leagues and at the professional level.
The authors reviewed the existing literature regarding injury risk, type, mechanism, and severity in youth, high school, junior, college, and professional players.
The most frequent injuries seen in youth hockey are contusions, fractures, sprains/strains, and lacerations involving the head, neck, and upper extremities.
Injury Prevention in Hockey
There is a special emphasis on catastrophic injuries such as:
Spine trauma with spinal cord involvement
Concussion and head injury
Eye injury with visual impairment or blindness,
Monitoring and eliminating the dangerous infractions of charging, boarding, checking from behind, head hits, and fighting are now points of emphasis.
The authors concluded that a multifaceted approach to injury prevention in the sport of ice hockey is necessary, including:
Quality education and coaching
Improved protective equipment
Rule enforcement
Elimination of dangerous activities
Promotion of sportsmanship
Mutual respect for the opponent and the game of hockey.
Author
Dr. Catherine Logan, MD, MBA
Catherine Logan, MD, MBA, MSPT, is a sports medicine orthopaedic surgeon specializing in complex knee and shoulder surgery at Colorado Sports Medicine and Orthopaedics (COSMO) in Denver, Colorado. As a former physical therapist & trainer, Dr. Logan provides a distinct expertise in sports injury, prevention, and surgical management.
