No doubt about it, hockey players are some of the toughest athletes in sports. After all, it’s an incredibly fast contact sport played on a sheet of ice with a hard puck surrounded by hard walls. While it combines aerobic and anaerobic endurance and incredible athleticism, injuries like those listed below can occur
Shoulder
- Separated shoulder: Sometimes a fall onto the shoulder can cause a separation of the joint on top of the shoulder called the acromioclavicular joint
- Tendonitis: Commonly in hockey players, the shoulder rotator cuff muscles can become painful and inflamed due to overuse from stabilizing the shoulder joint for stick handling and shooting related movements. As kids and teens play hockey more months of the year and the volume and intensity of practices and games increase, the risk of shoulder pain and injury increases. With early diagnosis and treatment of this condition, we can help you return back to hockey as soon as possible
- Dislocated shoulder
Elbow
- Tendonitis: Tendons on the outside and inside of the elbow can become painful with gripping activity like gripping a hockey stick
- Fracture: Can occur with a fall onto the ice
Hand and Wrist
- Sprains (jammed finger): This is a common injury when the a hockey stick or puck impacts the hand or finger on a pass or contact with another player
- Fractures: falls on the ice or even a severely jammed finger can result in a fracture of the hand or wrist.
Hip
- Sprains and strains: Sometimes a sudden sprint/skating movement can lead to an injury to the hamstrings or hip flexor muscles
- Labral tear: Though not as common in the hip as the shoulder, hip labral tears can be a source of hip pain and limitations in activity in hockey players as the skating motion places much stress on the hip
Leg
- Hamstring strain: Because of the skating motion and sprinting on the ice hamstring injuries can happen
- Thigh contusion: Thigh bruises can occur from a slashing injury or puck
Knee
- Ligament injuries: There are four knee ligaments that can be injured in sports like hockey, especially the medial collateral ligament (MCL) and benefit from early assessment and treatment
- Patellofemoral Pain: This is a common cause of knee pain in young hockey players and benefits from diagnosis and treatment of the underlying contributing factors
- Meniscal tear: The shock absorbing meniscus between the bones of the knee can be vulnerable to twisting and shearing force resulting in a tear.
Foot and Ankle
- Ankle sprain: These injuries can occur due to twisting and other contact injuries on the ice.
- Fractures: Sometimes a puck will hit off the skate and can fracture the foot
***If you are suffering from one of these injuries, or any other injury, schedule an appointment with Sports Health Northwest We want to help you get back to sport.
