Citation

Stuart MJ, Smith A. Am. J. Sports Med. 1995; 23(4): 458-461.

Affiliation

Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center, Department of Orthopedics, Rochester, MN 55095, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1995, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

7573657

Abstract

This 3-year prospective cohort observational analysis of elite amateur hockey players ranging in age from 17 to 20 years on a United States Hockey League team describes ice hockey injuries using a strict definition of injury, standardized reporting strategies, and diagnosis by a team physician. One hundred forty-two injuries were recorded for an on-ice injury rate of 9.4 per 1000 player hours. A player was 25 times more likely to be injured in a game (96.1 per 1000 player-game hours) than in practice (3.9 per 1000 player-practice hours). Game-related injuries were more frequent in the third period, and practice-related injuries occurred more often in the first third of the season. Collisions represented 51% of the total injuries. The most common types of injuries were strains, lacerations, contusions, and sprains. The face and the shoulder were most frequently injured. A facial laceration was the most common injury; acromioclavicular joint sprain was the second most common injury. Facial lacerations typically occurred in games and were stick related. Further research is necessary to determine if injuries in Junior A amateur ice hockey can be reduced by mandatory full facial protection, enforcement of existing rules, improvement in shoulder pad design, and by focusing more attention on stretching programs.

Language: en