How You (or Your Child) Can Avoid Common Hockey Injuries

Keep your hockey player safe and injury-free this season by following these tips from the experts at UH Sports Medicine.

Warm Up

Start with a 15- to 20-minute land-based, active warm up followed by an active warm up on the ice. Perform these exercises:

• Planks, incorporating arm reaching and rotation.
• Core and thoracic spine rotation and mobility exercises, especially to the non-dominant side.
• Deadlifts, back extensions, lying hip extensions.

Avoid Overuse Injuries

Cross-training is key. Use conditioning on and off the ice to prevent overuse injuries.

Hockey athletes are constantly pushing into hip extension while skating by powerfully thrusting their legs behind their torso in order to move quickly. Regular hip mobility and core strengthening exercises can help athletes avoid back issues caused by a lack of hip mobility.

Avoid over-skating. If an athlete is complaining of pain in the hip or groin area, he or she should rest, ice and take anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen.

Is It Concussion?

If a player experiences any of these symptoms after a blow to the head or body, remove the athlete from play and seek immediate medical attention.

• Headaches.
• Feeling dizzy, lightheaded and/or having coordination or balance problems.
• Not being able to remember what caused the injury or what happened shortly after the injury.
• Acting confused or feeling foggy or dazed.
• Asking the same question over and over, slurring words.
• Blurry vision, light sensitivity or double vision.
• Sensitivity to loud noises or ringing in the ears.
• Feeling nauseated or vomiting.
• Passing out at the time of or shortly after a hit.
• Mood changes with inappropriate laughing or crying, feeling depressed or anxious after a hit.
• Trouble sleeping, sleeping more than usual or feeling really tired.
• Trouble concentrating or difficulty remembering recent events.

Get Hip to Hydration

As little as a 2-percent decrease in body fluids can result in a 10 percent to 20 percent decrease in performance.

One way to tell if you're dehydrated is by the color of your urine. Light or straw-colored urine is optimal, while darker urine can mean you need to drink more fluids. Seek medical help if your urine is very dark or reddish, which could be a sign of urine or kidney disease.

Related links

At University Hospitals, our fellowship-trained sports medicine specialists, primary care doctors, nutritionists, sleep experts and other healthcare professionals ensure the very best in health and medical care for active people. Learn more.

Learn more about the UH Concussion Management Program, including baseline testing for athletes ages 5 and older.