Toll Free 1-877-626-4500
Quick Links Home
The Need For Speed
It is critically important to apply ice and compression immediately after an injury. Studies show that recovery from an injury is directly related to how soon ice and compression are applied. More Ice Therapy facts »
Common Hockey Injuries
Category: Other Sports
Nov 11, 2006
With the retirement of Steve Yzerman, the face of the Detroit Red Wings has changed. What hasn't changed is the fact that Detroit will always be Hockeytown USA.
That's not just because of the Red Wings' huge fan base, it's also because a ton of people -- young and old -- love to play hockey around metro Detroit. Yes -- hockey season is once again here, and that means early mornings, travel leagues, outgrown equipment and, unfortunately, injuries.
Each year, almost 67,000 hockey-related injuries to youths under age 15 are treated in hospitals, doctor offices, clinics, ambulatory surgery centers and hospital emergency rooms. This number doesn't even include the weekend warriors who don the skates for a night of excitement, only to find that it's not so easy to get out of bed the next morning.
The most common hockey injuries include muscle strains, concussions, cuts and bruises, hand and wrist fractures, knee ligament sprains, and shoulder separations and dislocations. Let's talk about these specific injuries in more detail:
Muscle strains: A strain means that the muscle fibers actually tear. Sometimes that strain is mild (often called a "pull," but strains can certainly be more severe. The most common strains in hockey involve the groin, thigh, hamstring and calf. Luckily, most strains heal uneventfully and can be helped along with RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation).
Concussions: Concussions result from a blow to the head and a "jarring" of the brain. Concussions range in severity from mild ("I got my bell rung") to more severe (with loss of memory and sometimes consciousness). The need for time off of the ice depends on the severity of the concussion.
Cuts and bruises: Many of these are inevitable. Let's face it, hockey is a rough sport.
Hand and wrist fractures: The most common fracture in hockey is actually a fracture of the fifth metacarpal bone in the hand. It's called a boxer's fracture -- this shouldn't be a huge surprise to fans of the sport.
Knee ligament sprains: Just look at the Red Wings -- a variety of players have torn their knee ligaments and undergone surgery to have them reconstructed. The big ligaments in the middle of the knee, the ACL and PCL, are fair game when it comes to twisting injuries that occur while playing hockey. Luckily, the most common knee ligament injury in hockey is an MCL sprain which heals on its own and rarely requires surgery.
Shoulder separations and dislocations: Shoulder separations occur when the ligaments that hold the end of the collar bone down are torn. Shoulder dislocations occur when the "ball pops out of the socket." The typical shoulder separation occurs from a direct blow to the shoulder that might occur during a hard check into the boards, whereas the typical shoulder dislocation occurs as a result of a violent force that pulls the arm backward and forces that ball out of the socket. The vast majority of shoulder separations are treated conservatively. As a matter of fact, a tour of any NHL locker room will reveal a number of players with bumps on the tops of their shoulders representing old shoulder separations. Unfortunately, shoulder dislocations are a bit different. They have a tendency to recur and sometimes need to be treated surgically.
When it comes to preventing injuries, staying fit, stretching, and wearing protective equipment are the most important factors in minimizing the risk.
Read the full article