The Hip in Ice Hockey: A Current Concepts Review

Editorial Commentary: Helping Those Who Seek the Company of “Lord Stanley”: Hockey Players and Hip Injuries Highlight the Current State and Future Challenges in Understanding, Treating, and Preventing Nonarthritic Hip Disease

“…I n the wake of the Pittsburgh Penguins' fourth Stanley Cup Championships victory here in the city of Pittsburgh, it is with great interest that I read the article by Kuhn et al 1 (To be clear, I have been lucky to watch all 4 cup races with family from the comfort of my home while dedicated team physicians tended to the important business of game coverage.) As a hip preservation specialist faced with treating many youth and experienced hockey players, I found it most exciting to see this article included in our journal.…”

“…Frequently, these complaints involve the hip joint. [1][2][3] The unique aspects of this sport are obvious even to the untrained observer, from playing on a frozen rink to the presence of solid walls containing the action to the use of a long lever arm to extend the mechanical advantage within the kinetic chain. What may be less obvious, however, are the many ways that continued training and participation in this unique sporting endeavor impact the growing and mature hip.…”

“…[3][4][5] The structure of the current article, however, is a standout for several reasons: scope, clinical usefulness, and expansion of current thinking. 1 The authors bring a decade of clinical and basic scientific investigation into the athlete's hip to bear as they systematically categorize hockey hip injury. A complete review of the text and references will satisfy even the most stringent fellowship mentor's requirements for knowledge in the area of hip preservation.…”

“…In this light, the authors' comments concerning the development of core muscle injury through hockey-specific movements illuminate the role of understanding the kinetic chain as a unique function that affects each hip uniquely. 1 Perhaps the most challenging questions facing the arthroscopist engaged in the treatment of athletic hip injury come in the area of injury prevention. Femoroacetabular impingement has undoubtedly revolutionized our ability to treat symptomatic patients, 6 yet leaves more questions than answers.…”

“…[11][12][13] These challenging layers of understanding indeed will provide areas of hope for preventing and improving treatment of hip injury. As clinicians we must begin by understanding the current state of knowledge for specific sporting populations, as outlined by Kuhn et al 1 , and balance the eagerness to help with our longstanding commitment to "first do no harm" when it comes to surgical care for athletic hip injury. Undoubtedly, arthroscopic and endoscopic techniques will remain critical tools for those whose conditions we understand and whom conservative care fails to help them return to the rink.…”