Hockey is one of the more popular sports in Minnesota, but now that we’re learning more about the long-term effects of concussions and head injuries, some are questioning the safety of the sport. Many people assume that checking, the ice and the boards make hockey a dangerous sport for head injuries, but a new study suggests that hockey isn’t any more dangerous than other contact sports.
In an effort to determine the rates of head injuries in youth hockey, researchers examined data on nearly 400 young hockey players over the course of two consecutive seasons. In all, researchers examined more than 23,000 minutes of athletic exposure during hockey practices and games.
Hockey Concussion Study
After looking at the data, researchers uncovered:
- There were 37 medically diagnosed concussions, or about 1.6 concussions for every 1,000 minutes of participation time.
- Players aged 12 and 14 years were more than twice as likely to suffer a concussion as teens aged 15 to 18. Researchers believe this disparity was due to greater disparities in player size, speed and strength among younger athletes.
- For players aged 12 to 14, the concussion rate was 2.84 per 1,000 minutes of athletic exposure, compared to 1.18 for players aged 15 to 18.
- Concussions were more likely during games, which had a concussion rate of 2.49 per 1,000 minutes of athletic exposure, compared to 1.04 per 1,000 minutes of athletic exposure in practice.
- Researchers noted that the rates of concussion in hockey were similar to the rates in other contact sports.
- Most notably, more than 40 percent of concussions involved illegal contact, meaning that leagues may be able to reduce concussion rates by adding stiffer penalties for illegal hits.
“Athletes need to be educated regarding proper techniques to hit/check that are not illegal,” said Tamara Valovich McLeod, co-author of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association position statement on management of sport concussions, who wasn’t involved in the study. “Officials need to call penalties and then coaches and athletic trainers need to address with players as a learning moment and work to improve technique so checks are legal.”
Jason Izraeski, a sports chiropractor and concussion researcher who was not involved in the study, noted that hockey may inherently draw some young players due to the aggressive nature of the game, and that teaching legal maneuvers at an early age is key to reducing youth injuries.
“Only by teaching ethical concepts of fair play and respect at the grassroots level will athletes help decrease concussion risk,” concluded Izreaski.
