Ice Hockey Injuries
Ice hockey is one of the most popular team sports in many parts of the country. It is a fast-paced game that combines players of many sizes together on the rink with high skating speeds and fast, furious action.
Hockey is known as a hard-hitting, collision sport. Players risk injury from high-impact collisions with each other, the rigid boards that mark the boundary of the playing surface, and the goal posts. Impact with a skate blade, long sticks, and pucks traveling more than 100 MPH also add to the risk.
What causes most injuries?
Studies show that most hockey injuries occur during games rather than
practices. It is estimated that direct trauma (a sudden forceful injury)
accounts for 80% of all injuries. Most of these injuries are caused by player
contact (checking and collision), falls, and contact with a puck, high stick,
and occasionally, a skate blade.
The most common injuries
Lacerations (cuts) to the head, scalp, and face are the most frequent
types of injury. However, the use of helmets and face shields has markedly
reduced the incidence of injuries to the face and head.
Yet, there has been an increase in neck and spine injuries in the past decade. Some players may adopt a false sense of security, believing that they are not susceptible to injury when wearing protective equipment. Usually, however, that's when injuries occur-when you least expect them. (taken from http://www.hughston.com/hha/a.hockey.htm )
This small chart below shows the Montreal Canadians Injuries for this season. This of coarse is only one team in the Entire NHL.
Injuries | ||||
Date | Player | Days Out | Status | Notes |
01/20/2001 | Brian Savage | Out eight weeks | injured reserve | Broken right thumb |
01/16/2001 | Gino Odjick | Out two months | injured reserve | Torn tendon in left wrist - surgery |
01/13/2001 | Jason Ward | Out indefinitely | injured reserve | Torn ligament in left knee |
01/10/2001 | Craig Darby | Missed four games | injured reserve | Separated left shoulder |
01/02/2001 | Andrei Bashkirov | Missed 10 games | injured reserve | Bruised right knee |
12/31/2000 | Trevor Linden | Missed 11 games | injured reserve | Severe contusion on 1st toe of rt. foot |
12/31/2000 | Jeff Hackett | Out 3-4 weeks | injured reserve | Swollen right hand |
12/30/2000 | Francis Bouillon | Out 6-8 weeks | injured reserve | Sprained left ankle |
12/21/2000 | Dainius Zubrus | Out indefinitely | injured reserve | Neck/Mild concussion |
12/18/2000 | Martin Rucinsky | Out 8-10 weeks | injured reserve | Sprained left MCL |
12/16/2000 | Stephane Robidas | missed two games | day-to-day | shoulder contusion |
12/15/2000 | Benoit Brunet | Out 8-10 weeks | injured reserve | Sprained left MCL |
12/15/2000 | Craig Rivet | Out three months | injured reserve | Damaged shoulder cartilage - surgery |
12/11/2000 | Christian Laflamme | Missed 10 games | injured reserve | Pulled groin |
12/09/2000 | Trevor Linden | missed one game | day-to-day | ankle |
11/29/2000 | Craig Rivet | Missed five games | injured reserve | Bruised right shoulder |
11/14/2000 | Francis Bouillon | Missed 13 games | injured reserve | Broken finger, right hand |
11/14/2000 | Jim Campbell | missed nine games | day-to-day | pulled/strained groin |
11/14/2000 | Patrick Poulin | missed four games | day-to-day | pulled/strained groin |
11/08/2000 | Benoit Brunet | Missed 11 games | injured reserve | Pulled/Strained groin |
11/08/2000 | Enrico Ciccone | Retired | injured reserve | Shoulder/Back |
10/28/2000 | Patrick Poulin | Misses six games | injured reserve | Pulled groin |
10/24/2000 | Christian Laflamme | Missed six games | injured reserve | Mild concussion |
10/24/2000 | Jeff Hackett | Missed 21 games | injured reserve | Fractured right hand |
10/17/2000 | Jim Campbell | missed one game | day-to-day | slight concussion |
10/11/2000 | Saku Koivu | Missed 28 games | injured reserve | Left knee - 10/17 surgery |
10/04/2000 | Patrice Brisebois | missed end of training camp | day-to-day | sore back |
10/03/2000 | Karl Dykhuis | missed first 11 games | day-to-day | abdominal surgery rehab |
09/27/2000 | Dainius Zubrus | Missed first two games | injured reserve | Ribcage |
09/27/2000 | Christian Laflamme | Missed training camp time | injured reserve | Bruised left shoulder |
09/26/2000 | Enrico Ciccone | Missed first nine games | injured reserve | Major pulled groin |
09/23/2000 | Sheldon Souray | Missed first 28 regular season games | injured reserve | Strained lower abdominal wall-10/17 surg |
But to make Hockey illegal would be the utmost un-Canadian thing ever!!