Hockey Injuries

Prevention and treatment of common aches, pains and injuries from ice hockey

Ice hockey injuries are common and range from minor annoying aches and pains to serious traumas. For both recreational and professional ice hockey players, it's essential to wear appropriate ice hockey safety equipment including helmets, pads and protective gear, to reduce both the risk and severity of injury. Even so, a hockey player may still sustain an injury on the ice.
Ice hockey injuries are generally defined as either chronic (overuse) injuries or acute (traumatic) injuries.
Overuse injuries are cumulative aches and pains that occur over time and can often be prevented with appropriate training and rest. Traumatic injuries are often accidents that occur suddenly and can't be avoided, but require immediate first aid.
Common Ice Hockey Pain and Injuries
Statistics indicate that the large majority of ice hockey injuries are caused by direct trauma during games. Hard body checks, player collisions, forced collisions with the walls and ice, and direct blows from the puck, flying sticks and skates all add up to injuries and underscore the inherent danger of ice hockey.

  • Sprains and Strains
    Sprains and strains are the most common type of hockey injury. The best immediate treatment for sprains and strains is the R.I.C.E. method (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation).
  • Cuts and Lacerations
    Cuts and scrapes to the head and face also top the list of hockey injuries, but using helmets with a full face shield has reduced the severity and frequency of these injuries.
  • Bruises and Contusions
    Flying skaters, sticks and pucks, along with the many collisions on the ice frequently leave hockey players tending a variety of bruises and contusions.
  • Muscle Cramps
    A cramp is a sudden, intense pain caused by a muscle involuntary and forcibly contracting muscle that does not relax.
  • Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness
    This is the sort of muscle soreness experienced from 12 to 48 hours following a tough workout or game. Getting enough rest often is all you need to recover.
  • Overtraining Syndrome
    Overtraining syndrome frequently occurs in athletes who train beyond the body's ability to recover.

Head, Neck and Shoulder Injuries from Hockey

Knee and Leg Injuries from Hockey

Foot and Ankle Injuries from Hockey

Hand Injuries from Hockey

Back Injuries from Hockey

Tips for Preventing Ice Hockey Injuries
Experts agree that wearing appropriate safely equipment -- such as helmets, mouth guards, and protective pads -- can reduce the risk of serious ice hockey injuries.

 

Preventing Hockey Injuries

Sometimes preventing common sports injuries is beyond our control, but many times sports injuries are preventable. Some injuries, we bring on ourselves because we’re not conditioned for the activity. Work out daily and get double benefit — enjoy your weekend activities and garner the health benefits. Every workout should start with a gentle warm-up to prevent common sports injuries. Getting warmed up increases blood flow to the muscles, gets you more flexible, and could decrease injuries. Overuse injuries are common and preventable, Don’t come out and hit the ball for an hour after not playing for a while., Whether it’s hiking, running, or team sports, do some “pre-participation stretching” first by lightly working the relevant muscle groups before the activity. And learn to recognize when you’ve already left it all on the field. Stop when you are fatigued, Muscle fatigue takes away all your protective mechanisms and really increases your risk of all injuries.

 

Professional Sports Teams

Professional athletes often seek better, newer treatments outside the teams facility. We have treated players from the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and the PGA. Of course we can't list the name of the players for security reasons but below is a list of the teams that they play for. And yes we have to treat the players from teams opposing our home town favorites, Sorry Guys. Go CARDS