Summary
Ice hockey is a fast-paced game involving both finesse and controlled aggression. Injuries are related to direct trauma (80%) and overuse (20%), with high puck velocities, aggressive stick use, and body checking (collisions) accounting for most of these. A participant can anticipate an injury after playing 7 to 100 hours of hockey, depending on his age, and most injuries are caused during the actual game rather than during practice. Although facial injuries are common, they are decreasing because of adequate use of helmets and masks. Conversely, cervical spine injuries are being reported more frequently.
Injuries to the upper extremity include acromioclavicular joint dislocations, scaphoid fractures, and ‘gamekeeper’s thumb’. Injuries to the lower extremity predominantly involve soft tissue, with strains of the hip adductor, tears of the medial collateral ligament of the knee, and contusions of the thigh are common. Scientific studies have reduced injury by providing improved protective equipment, stricter rules and their enforcement, and effective training and conditioning.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Benoit BG, Russell NA, Richard MT, Hugenholtz H, Ventureyra ECG, et al. Epidural hematoma: report of seven cases with delayed evolution of symptoms. Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences 9: 321–324, 1982.
Biener K, Muller P. Les accidents du hockey sur glace. Cahiers Medicales 14: 959–962, 1973.
Bishop PJ. Head protection in sports with particular application to ice hockey. Ergonomics 19: 451–464, 1976.
Bishop PJ, Norman RW, Wells R, Ranney D, Skleryk B. Changes in the centre of mass and movement of inertia of a headform induced by a hockey helmet and face shield. Canadian Journal of Applied Sports Sciences 8: 19–25, 1983.
Cooney WP III. Sports injuries to the upper extremity: how to recognize and deal with some common problems. Postgraduate Medicine 76: 45–50, 1984.
Cunningham DA, Telford P, Swart GT. The cardiopulmonary capacities of young hockey players: age 10. Medicine and Science in Sports 8: 23–25, 1976.
Editorial. Ice hockey can be safer. Journal of the American Medical Association 207: 1706, 1969.
Fekete JF. Severe brain injury and death following minor hockey accidents: the effectiveness of the ‘safety helmets’ of amateur hockey players. Canadian Medical Association Journal 99: 1234–1239, 1968.
Ferguson RJ, Marcotte GG, Montpetit RR. A maximal oxygen uptake test during ice skating. Medicine and Science in Sports 1: 207–211, 1969.
Green HJ, Houston ME. Effect of a season of ice hockey on energy capacities and associated functions. Medicine and Science in Sports 7: 299–303, 1975.
Hornof Z, Nâpravnik C. Analysis of various accident rate factors in ice hockey. Medicine and Science in Sports 5: 283–286, 1973.
Houston ME, Green HJ. Physiological and anthropométric characteristics of elite Canadian ice hockey players. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 16: 123–128, 1976.
Houston ME, Green HJ, Norman B. Anthropometrie and physiologic characteristics of ice hockey players. Abstract. Medicine and Science in Sports 5: 65, 1973.
Hovelius L. Shoulder dislocation in Swedish ice hockey players. American Journal of Sports Medicine 6: 373–377, 1978.
Hovelius L, Palmgren H. Laceration of tibial tendons and vessels in ice hockey players. American Journal of Sports Medicine 7: 297–298, 1979.
Jørgensen U, Schmidt-Olsen S. The epidemiology of ice hockey injuries. British Journal of Sports Medicine 20(1): 7–9, 1986.
Lorentzon R, Wedrèn H, Pietilä T. Incidence, nature, and causes of ice hockey injuries: a three-year prospective study of a Swedish elite ice hockey team. American Journal of Sports Medicine 16: 392–396, 1988.a
Lorentzon R, Wedrèn H, Pietilä T, Gustavsson B. Injuries in international ice hockey: a prospective, comparative study of injury incidence and injury types in international and Swedish elite ice hockey. American Journal of Sports Medicine 16: 389–391, 1988b.
Mitin VV, Gladyseva AA. Proportions of body, power and mobility of hockey players (in Russian). Teoriya i Praktika Fizi-cheskii Kulturi 35: 23–26, 1972.
Norfray JF, Tremaine MJ, Groves HC, Bachman DC. The clavicle in hockey. American Journal of Sports Medicine 5: 275–280, 1977.
Norman RW, Bishop PJ, Pierrynowski MR. Puck impact response of ice hockey face masks. Canadian Journal of Applied Sport Sciences 5: 208–214, 1980.
Pashby TJ. Eye injuries in Canadian hockey. Phase II. Canadian Medical Association Journal 117: 671–672; 677–678, 1977.
Pashby TJ. Eye injuries in Canadian hockey. Phase III: Older players now most at risk. Canadian Medical Association Journal 121: 643–644, 1979.
Pashby TJ, Pashby RC, Chisholm LDJ, Crawford JS. Eye injuries in Canadian hockey. Canadian Medical Association Journal 113: 663–666; 674, 1975.
Rovere GD, Gristina AG, Stolzer WA, Garver EM. Treatment of ‘gamekeeper’s thumb’ in hockey players. Journal of Sports Medicine 3: 147–151, 1975.
Sane J, Ylipaavalniemi P, Leppänen H. Maxillofacial and dental ice hockey injuries. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 20: 202–207, 1988.
Sim FH, Chao EY. Injury potential in modern ice hockey. American Journal of Sports Medicine 6: 378–384, 1978.
Sim FH, Simonet WT, Melton LJ III, Lehn TA. Ice hockey injuries. American Journal of Sports Medicine 15: 30–40, 1987.
Sim FH, Simonet WT, Scott SG. Ice hockey injuries: causes, treatment, and prevention. Journal of Musculoskeletal Medicine 6(3): 15–44, 1989.
Smith AW, Bishop PJ, Wells RP. Alterations in head dynamics with the addition of a hockey helmet and face shield under inertial loading. Canadian Journal of Applied Sports Sciences 10: 68–74, 1985.
Sutherland GW. Fire on ice. American Journal of Sports Medicine 4: 264–269, 1976.
Tator CH. Neck injuries in ice hockey: a recent, unsolved problem with many contributing factors. Clinics in Sports Medicine 6: 101–114, 1987.
Tator CH, Edmonds VE. National survey of spinal injuries in hockey players. Canadian Medical Association Journal 130: 875–880, 1984.
Thompson CW, Buskirk ER, Goldman RF. Changes in body fat, estimated from skinfold measurements of college basketball and hockey players during a season. Research Quarterly 27: 418–430, 1956.
Torg JS, Truex Jr R, Quedenfeld TC, Burstein A, Spealman A, et al. The National Football Head and Neck Injury Registry: report and conclusions 1978. Journal of the American Medical Association 241: 1477–1479, 1979.
Tredget T, Godberson CV, Bose B. Myositis ossificans due to hockey injury. Canadian Medical Association Journal 116: 65–66, 1977.
Vinger PF. ‘Too great’ a risk spurred hockey mask development. Physician and Sportsmedicine 5: 70–73, 1977.
Wilson K, Cram B, Rontal E, Rontal M. Facial injuries in hockey players. Minnesota Medicine 60: 13–19, 1977.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Daly, P.J., Sim, F.H. & Simonet, W.T. Ice Hockey Injuries. Sports Medicine 10, 122–131 (1990). https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-199010020-00005
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-199010020-00005