Hockey Injuries And Their Prevention

Whether you’re a weekend warrior or a professional player, so long as you’re a hockey player – reading this will do you good. You already know that hockey is a sport that is fast paced, strategic and full body contact. Those three characteristics alone should tell you it’s important to be in shape when playing this game. Most hockey injuries happen because of high impact hits during the middle of a game. A knee injury or a separated shoulder can be season ending with painful rehabilitation.

Incorporating a good stretching routine can help to minimize muscle imbalances, prevent injury, improve your exercise tolerance and your hockey performance.

Prevention

Concussion

Athletes may suffer a concussion without getting “knocked out” (loss of consciousness). Players, coaches and parents should be aware of the typical symptoms and signs, including “not feeling right” and headache. Any player experiencing symptoms or displaying signs of a concussion should not return to play and should be medically evaluated.

Shoulder Injuries

The most common shoulder injuries in hockey are a shoulder separation and a broken collarbone. Ice and the walls are not forgiving, unfortunately our bodies are. This is why we wear pads; we want something other than our bodies to absorb the impacts. So to prevent shoulder injuries you must make sure that you have the proper gear. Whether it’s a pro game on the ice of the Rexall Place or a small game out on a frozen lake or pond with friends, ice is still ice. It’s hard and the impact can snap small bones like your collarbone.

Back Injuries

Hockey players are at risk for low-back injuries due to the flexed (forward) posture of skating and the frequent hyperextension (backward) stress. Low-back pain and/or a pulled muscle are the most common injuries. Stretching of the hip flexors along with strengthening of the back and abdominal muscles will help avoid these injuries.

Hip Injuries

Due to the mechanics of skating motions and the agility required while playing hockey, the hip joint and muscles undergo a lot of stress. Common injuries include hip flexor or groin strains, hip bursitis, or tears in the cartilage. A proper stretching and strengthen program as well as padding over the lateral hip can help prevent them. You should incorporate an off-season program of stability and strengthening exercises to help reinforce the smaller muscles of the hip which when weak often contribute to injuries of the larger muscles or joints.

Fortunately, the overwhelming majority of hockey injuries are mild. Most injuries involve the soft tissues: bruises, muscle strains, ligament tears, and cuts. Serious injuries are possible and players should avoid dangerous tactics. A few tips for preventing injuries include:

• Obtaining a preseason screening examination by an experienced athletic trainer or physician to identify existing injuries and uncover deficiencies.
• Participating in a sports-specific conditioning program to avoid physical overload.
• Obtaining high-quality equipment that fits well and is not damaged, worn-out, or undersized.
• Enforcement of existing rules. Players and coaches should always demonstrate sportsmanship and mutual respect for their opponents and the officials.

Treatment

Even with proper prevention methods, injuries can still occur. Here are some common injuries and their treatment methods:

Shoulder Dislocation

This is the most common injury caused in the game of hockey. Due to shock from a bad fall or collision, there are high chances that the shoulder ball may pop out of the socket causing the shoulder to get dislocated. When a dislocation occurs, a player must be immediately moved to the emergency room for instant reposition of the shoulder.

Treatment:

The treatment for shoulder dislocation depends on various factors like the severity of the injury or recurrence. The first step of treatment is immobilisation of the arm with an arm sling for anywhere between 1-3 weeks. When the injured hand is in a sling, hand, wrist and elbow movements are recommended to strengthen the arm. Exercises are performed on the parascapular muscles.  As compared to other exercises, these can be performed with the arm sling on and are carried on even after the sling is removed. Patients get about 10% improvement in their motion per week, as shocking your shoulder with quick movements can be harmful. Repetitive collarbone injury may require surgical treatment.

Fractured Collarbone (Clavicle)

During a game of hockey, it is common to get checked into the boards which might result in a fractured collarbone or clavicle. The treatment of this injury solely depends on the severity of the fracture, displacement and shortening (overlapping of broken bone ends). The rehabilitation program includes surgery and physical therapy.

Treatment:

The injured arm is placed in a sling to restrict movement and help the clavicle heal. The physical therapy routine for fractured clavicle includes a number of daily exercises like the pendulum exercise which concentrates on hand and shoulder movements, grip strength exercises like squeezing a racquet ball and isometric shoulder exercises. The therapist also takes care of soft tissue injuries and structural imbalances caused by the collarbone fracture.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury

An outdoor sport like hockey involves sudden stopping or deceleration in speed causing Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury.  Another cause of this injury could be a blow to the knee with a stick (in hockey) when the foot is firmly planted on the ground. A characteristic of this injury is the popping sound heard when the ligament gets torn. Women are at a much greater risk than men for ACL because of less tightening of thigh muscles in women during rigorous activity.

Treatment:

The first part of the treatment involves reduction of pain through medication and the physiotherapist working on the injury. The physical treatment involves electrical stimulation, treatment of swelling with ice and rest period with the limb suspended at an elevation. With improvement, gentle exercises are introduced in the routine like gentle stretching, stationary bike and pressure techniques. An ACL brace also might be recommended to supplement knee stability.

Injuries during the game are common but players should choose the right physician for quick recovery.