Youth Ice Hockey Injuries Over 16 Years at a Pediatric Trauma Center

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Youth ice hockey is an exciting sport with growing participation in the United States. Updated assessment of injury patterns is needed to determine risk factors for severe injury and develop preventive efforts. The purpose of this study was to evaluate our experience as a level 1 pediatric trauma center in Minnesota treating injured youth ice hockey players. METHODS: Children ≤18 years old who presented to our institution from July 1997 to July 2013 with an injury sustained while participating in ice hockey were identified. Patient demographic information, injury characteristics, and outcomes including use of computed tomography, hospital admission, and procedures were obtained. Age- and gender-specific patterns were determined for injuries and outcomes. RESULTS: Over 16 years, 168 injuries in 155 children occurred, including 26 (15.5%) injuries in girls. Extremity injuries were most common, followed by traumatic brain injury. Injuries to the spine, face, and trunk were less common. Traumatic brain injury and injuries to the spine were most common in younger children (≤14 years old) and girls, whereas injuries to the face were most common in older players (≥15 years old). Most injuries resulted from intentional contact. Admission to the hospital was needed in 65 patients, including 14 (8.3%) who needed intensive care. A major procedure was needed by 23.2% of patients because of their injuries. CONCLUSIONS: Youth ice hockey trauma can be severe, necessitating a thorough evaluation of injured children. Injury patterns are influenced by age and gender, providing an opportunity for targeted preventive efforts.

Epidemiology of Traumatic and Overuse Injuries in Swiss Professional Male Ice Hockey Players

“…A number of injury risk factors, including high velocity on the ice, unintended collisions, rapid changes in direction, and injuries from the board, puck, and sticks, lead to a high risk of a wide variety of player injuries. 24 , 27 Injuries can be categorized as a result of either a traumatic event (ie, a condition caused by an identifiable single external transfer of energy, such as a collision leading to bone fractures) or overuse (ie, there is no identifiable single external transfer of energy, but the condition is caused by multiple accumulative bouts of energy transfer, such as multiple microtraumas leading to, for example, tendon tears). 26 Depending on the surveillance methods used, the overall injury incidence in collegiate and professional men’s ice hockey currently ranges from 4.9 to 15.6 per 1000 athlete-exposures, with approximately 50 injuries per 1000 player-game hours.…”

A Retrospective Evaluation of Pediatric Major Trauma Related to Sport and Recreational Activities in Nova Scotia

“…While most previous reports of pediatric sport-related major trauma focus on a single sport, [14][15][16][17][18][19] our study examined overall patterns of major trauma related to sport and recreational activities using a provincial trauma registry. Similar to previous reports, our study found sportand recreation-related pediatric major trauma to be relatively infrequent in NS, with only 107 cases over a 13-year period (9% of all pediatric major traumas), and most traumas in males aged 11-14 years.…”

Evaluation, management and prevention of lower extremity youth ice hockey injuries

“…Ice hockey is becoming one of the most popular sports played in North America 1,2. Already being the national sport in Canada, it continues to spread in the US as 358,000 players under the age of 18 were registered with the USA Hockey in 2014–2015 3.…”

“…Youth ice hockey leagues start as young as 5 years of age. Female ice hockey participation in the US has also increased significantly, with a sevenfold increase in registrants since 1993 2,3. At the international level, hockey is now played in 77 countries recognized by the International Ice Hockey Federation 4.…”

“…However, some recent injury prevention strategies are trying to lower the risk. The minimum age to allow body checking was raised from 11 to 13 years 2. In addition, stricter enforcement of rules by the officials (Fair Play Program [FPP]), appropriate standards for proper equipment and utility of education programs such as “Heads Up” and “Smart Hockey” have been implemented with success.…”