Shoulder injuries in ice hockey players: Prevalence, common management, and return to play

Criteria, Timing, and Factors Associated With Return to Competitive Sport After Rotator Cuff Surgery

Rotator cuff pathology in competitive athletes is common and may produce chronic symptoms and joint disability, impairing sports participation and leading to premature retirement. Athletes are a high-functioning patient population with unique characteristics. Decision-making for return to sport is a complex and multifactorial process. Literature is sparse and does not provide precise guidelines to assist physicians to make the right decision. This review aimed to highlight factors affecting outcome, timing, and criteria for return to competitive sport after rotator cuff surgery to help physicians to clearly counsel athletes and make high-quality decisions for return to sport.

Injury patterns in Swedish elite female and male ice hockey - A cross-sectional comparison of past-season's injuries

OBJECTIVES

To describe and compare seasonal prevalence, anatomical location, severity, and onset of injuries between female and male elite ice hockey players.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional survey study.

SETTING

Elite ice hockey.

PARTICIPANTS

Swedish elite ice hockey players (170 females & 190 males).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Past season injuries reported on a modified version of the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center overuse injury questionnaire. Proportions of players who experienced any and substantial problems, as well as respective injury severity scores were presented and compared between sexes.

RESULTS

Highest seasonal prevalence was reported for hip/groin [31.1% (n = 112)], lower back [24.2% (n = 87)], and shoulder injuries [23.6% (n = 85)]. Prevalence of injuries was approximately similar between sexes. Substantial injuries were most prevalent in the hip/groin (13.3% [n = 48]) and knee (18.6% [n = 67]) region. Females reported a higher proportion of substantial hip/groin injuries. Most reported injuries were acute except for hip/groin and lower back injuries (74.4% and 81.8% due to overuse).

CONCLUSION

Seasonal prevalence of injuries in elite ice hockey players were comparable between sexes. Acute injuries were most common but hip/groin as well as lower back injuries were predominantly due to overuse. The highest reported prevalence was found for hip and groin-, lower back-, and shoulder injuries.