Hockey Injuries — Avoiding The Most Common

According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), throughout the 2010-2011 winter season there were 1,114 hockey-related hospitalizations. Perhaps not so surprising, is that half of these hockey injuries happened to boys between the ages of ten and nineteen. These are injuries that required hospitalization; there are no known reliable statistics for all hockey-related injuries but they are suspected to be at least doubled. Sadly, these statistics have not improved much at all over the past five years.

There are several factors that can be attributed to the high numbers of (recorded) injuries. Age, level of fitness, level of competition, and the condition of protective equipment all contribute to risk factors. When any of these are not as they should be then injuries such as sprains, strains and other muscle-related injuries tend to occur in the shoulder, knees and neck. Head injuries occur when helmets do not meet standards (including proper fit). Head and neck injuries also occur as well as dislocated shoulders, fractured collar bones, and sprained medial collateral ligaments.

Hockey is a fast and physical sport and the risk of injury is always present. There are ways to avoid common hockey injuries.

Tips To Avoiding Common Hockey Injuries

If purchasing second hand hockey equipment it is imperative to ensure it still meets safety standards and every piece of equipment fits properly. All equipment must meet CSA approval (Canadian Standards Association) in order to have a proper fit.

Head protection that fits is a must. The best way to test this is that when the helmet is on, one finger should be able to fit between the chin and the chinstrap. Should that helmet ever sustain damage or encounter a sever hit then replacing it is a must. Also, replacing helmets every three years is recommended by the industry.

Mouth protection is really important to not only protect the teeth but these also help in preventing concussions. Staying active is important to help avoid a hockey injury. Keeping flexible, maintaining strength and endurance will minimize the chance of injury when a fall occurs (or being rammed into the boards).

Lastly, warming up will help to prevent muscle strains and keeping the body limber which helps in reducing the risk of injury.

Dealing With Hockey Injuries

Depending on what the specific injury is, the type of care the patient will require will be chiropractic, physiotherapy, or a combination of the both. (The exception to this is if the injury is severe and hospitalization is required. Even then, often after a hospital visit, chiropractic or physiotherapy is required to regain a pre-injury state.)

Some of the more common hockey injuries include:

• Achilles Tendon Rupture
• Back Muscle Strain or Ligament Sprain
• Bulging Disc
• Calf Muscle Tears
• Facet Joint Syndrome
• Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome
• Metatarsalgia
• Muscle Pain: Strains or Tears
• Plantar Fasciitis
• Rotator Cuff Injuries
• Tennis Elbow

Chiropractic care helps to heal the nervous system and the musculoskeletal system. Also, chiropractic care treats neuromusculoskeletal issues that include headaches, pain in the neck, back or in the joints. This is an effective type of health care that is hands-on and drug-free. It also includes examinations, diagnosis and comprehensive treatment.

Physiotherapy is a form of health care that helps people restore, maintain, and maximize their function, strength and movement. This is achieved by the therapist assessing the injury, diagnosing, and treating the injury. This type of health care involves a wide variety of stretching methods.

Once an individual has resumed playing hockey after recovering from an injury ongoing maintenance may be required in order to prevent a reoccurrence. Regular chiropractic care will aid in restoring and maintaining healthy nerves, joints, and muscles through an adjustment. Proper healing can take time and although a patient may feel that he or she is back to normal, ongoing care is strongly recommended to maintain and prevent further injury. In addition, and for the same reasons, ongoing physiotherapy may be needed to prevent an injury from reoccurring.

In addition, and for the same reasons, ongoing physiotherapy may be needed to prevent an injury from reoccurring.

If you have sustained a hockey injury then look no further. Chiro-Med Rehab Centre has a walk-in clinic conveniently located at 10144 Yonge Street, just north of Major MacKenzie Drive in the heart of Richmond Hill. Check us out online or call 905-918-0419 for more information or to book a consultation.