Acute injuries in male elite ice hockey players: A prospective cohort study

Abstract

Background: In Finland, elite level ice hockey injury studies have not been conducted since 1990s. Epidemiological data is needed for developing injury prevention. The aim of this study was to calculate the injury incidences and to describe details of the injuries in the men's elite-level ice hockey league in Finland (Liiga). Methods: During the three seasons of 2017–2020, injuries from eight Liiga teams were documented by team physicians to a digitalized injury-reporting system. All acute injuries requiring medical attention or causing a player's time loss were reported. Injury incidences were calculated, and injury details were described. Results: Overall, 326 injuries occurred in 1147 matches, comprising an injury rate (IR) of 12.9 per 1000 player-games. The head, including face, was the most commonly injured body part (IR 4.7 per 1000 player-games; 36.2% of the injuries), followed by the upper extremity (IR 3.5; 27.3%) and lower extremity (IR 3.3; 25.8%). Concussions were more frequent (IR 1.9) than knee (IR 1.6) or shoulder (IR 1.2) injuries. Body checking (31.5%) was the most common mechanism of injury, and contusion (29.3%) was the most typical diagnosis. The player's time loss was over three weeks in 17.7% of all injuries, of which mostly were knee (23.1%), hand (21.2%) and shoulder (13.5%) injuries. Conclusions: The injury rate was slightly lower than in other elite-level ice hockey studies and 28.2% lower than in previous studies conducted in Finland in the 1990s. Head injuries were the most common. Concussions persisted as frequent injuries in elite ice hockey.