CONTEXT: Hockey is a skillful contact sport with an elevated injury risk at higher levels of play. An understanding of injury incidence, type, mechanism, and severity at various levels of competition aids the clinician treating these athletes. The purpose of this clinical review is to discuss the epidemiology of hockey injuries at various levels of participation, including youth, high school, junior, college, and professional. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: A literature search was performed by a review of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases and included articles published from 1988 to 2017. Studies were included in this review if determined to be of high quality and containing injury data relevant to the levels of competition. Pertinent data regarding ice hockey injury epidemiology and prevention at various levels of competition were analyzed. STUDY DESIGN: Clinical review. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 4. RESULTS: Youth, high school, junior, college, and professional hockey players have unique injury patterns. Injuries occur much more often in a game compared with a practice, and injury risk increases with each level of competition. Preventative measures, such as mandatory facial protection and delayed body checking in games until age 13 years, are proven strategies to reduce the risk of facial injury and concussion. CONCLUSION: An understanding of common injury types and mechanisms according to age and level of play aids the clinician in diagnosis and management. This information can also guide preventative strategies in the areas of education, coaching, rule enforcement, rule modifications, equipment improvement, and sportsmanship.
CONTEXT: Hockey is a skillful contact sport with an elevated injury risk at higher levels of play. An understanding of injury incidence, type, mechanism, and severity at various levels of competition aids the clinician treating these athletes. The purpose of this clinical review is to discuss the epidemiology of hockey injuries at various levels of participation, including youth, high school, junior, college, and professional. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: A literature search was performed by a review of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases and included articles published from 1988 to 2017. Studies were included in this review if determined to be of high quality and containing injury data relevant to the levels of competition. Pertinent data regarding ice hockey injury epidemiology and prevention at various levels of competition were analyzed. STUDY DESIGN: Clinical review. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 4. RESULTS: Youth, high school, junior, college, and professional hockey players have unique injury patterns. Injuries occur much more often in a game compared with a practice, and injury risk increases with each level of competition. Preventative measures, such as mandatory facial protection and delayed body checking in games until age 13 years, are proven strategies to reduce the risk of facial injury and concussion. CONCLUSION: An understanding of common injury types and mechanisms according to age and level of play aids the clinician in diagnosis and management. This information can also guide preventative strategies in the areas of education, coaching, rule enforcement, rule modifications, equipment improvement, and sportsmanship.
Authors: Carolyn A Emery; Jian Kang; Ian Shrier; Claude Goulet; Brent E Hagel; Brian W Benson; Alberto Nettel-Aguirre; Jenelle R McAllister; Gavin M Hamilton; Willem H Meeuwisse Journal: JAMA Date: 2010-06-09 Impact factor: 56.272
Authors: Lars Engebretsen; Kathrin Steffen; Juan Manuel Alonso; Mark Aubry; Jiri Dvorak; Astrid Junge; Willem Meeuwisse; Margo Mountjoy; Per Renström; Mike Wilkinson Journal: Br J Sports Med Date: 2010-09 Impact factor: 13.800
Authors: Aynsley M Smith; Michael J Stuart; William O Roberts; David W Dodick; Jonathan T Finnoff; Janelle K Jorgensen; David A Krause Journal: Clin J Sport Med Date: 2017-09 Impact factor: 3.638
Authors: Alison Brooks; Keith J Loud; Joel S Brenner; Rebecca A Demorest; Mark E Halstead; Amanda K Weiss Kelly; Chris G Koutures; Cynthia R LaBella; Michele LaBotz; Stephanie S Martin; Kody Moffatt Journal: Pediatrics Date: 2014-06 Impact factor: 7.124
Authors: Michael J Stuart; Aynsley M Smith; Susan A Malo-Ortiguera; Tracy L Fischer; Dirk R Larson Journal: Am J Sports Med Date: 2002 Jan-Feb Impact factor: 6.202
Authors: Richard Saw; Caroline F Finch; David Samra; Peter Baquie; Tanusha Cardoso; Danielle Hope; John W Orchard Journal: Sports Health Date: 2017-08-21 Impact factor: 3.843
Authors: Anna S Jenkins; Jordan R Pollock; Sailesh V Tummala; Joseph C Brinkman; Merritt C Kropelnicki; Justin L Makovicka; Jeffrey D Hassebrock; Anikar Chhabra Journal: Arthrosc Sports Med Rehabil Date: 2021-10-29
Authors: Charles A Popkin; Thomas A Fortney; Ajay S Padaki; Andrew J Rogers; David P Trofa; T Sean Lynch; Markku Tuominen; Michael J Stuart Journal: Orthop J Sports Med Date: 2022-09-08