Parkkari, Jari

Objective To describe the occurrence and trend of concussions during the international ice hockey tournaments. Design Register study. Setting The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championships and Olympic Winter Games. Participants A total of 3293 games were played in the 169 tournaments by 1212 teams (26130 players) comprising 142244 athletic game exposures. Outcome measures One hundred and sixty concussions were observed. Main Results The average injury rate (IR) for concussion was 1.1 per 1000 ice hockey player-games for all IIHF World Championship tournaments (WC). The injury rate was highest in men's WC A-pool tournaments and Olympic Winter Games (OWG) (IR 1.6), and lowest in women's WC and OWG (IR 0.9). However, the annual injury rate for concussion in men's tournament has been lower than that in World Junior tournaments since 2012. When concussion occurred in a contact with a flexible board injury rate was 0.2 per 1,000 player games and 1.1 if a board and glass were traditional [RR 6.4, (95% CI 1.50–27.61]. In men's tournaments the trend of concussions caused by illegal hits decreased over a study period. After the 2012 Zurich Consensus Guidelines none of the concussed players returned to a play during a same day in men's WC tournaments. Conclusions The risk of concussion was significantly lower if games were played on rinks with flexible board and glass. Between 2006 and 2015, the annual risk of concussion in men's WC has been decreasing most likely due to the decreasing number of concussions caused by illegal hits.

Background Detailed injury data are not available for international ice hockey tournaments played by junior athletes. We report the incidence, type, mechanism and severity of injuries in males under ages 18 and 20 at junior ice hockey World Championships during 2006–2015. Methods All injuries in the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior under-20 (WJ U20) Championship and under-18 (WJ U18) Championship were collected over a 9-year period using a strict injury definition, a standardised injury reporting system and diagnoses made by a team physician. Results 633 injuries were recorded in 1326 games over a 9-year period, resulting in an injury rate (IR) of 11.0 per 1000 player-games and 39.8/1000 player-game hours. The IRs in all tournaments were 4.3/1000 player-games for the head and face, 3.2 for the upper body, 2.6 for the lower body and 1.0 for the spine and trunk. A laceration was the most common injury type followed by a sprain. Lacerations accounted for 80% (IR 3.6) of facial injuries in WJ U20 tournaments. The shoulder was the most common injury site (IR 2.0) in WJ U18 tournaments. Board contact was the mechanism for 59% of these shoulder injuries. Concussion was the most common head and face injury (46%; IR 1.2) in WJ U18 tournaments. Conclusions and recommendations The risk of injury among male junior ice hockey players was lower than the reported rates in adult men but higher than that in women. Facial lacerations were common in U20 junior players (WJ U20) since most wear only partial facial protection (visor). The IR for shoulder injuries was high in U18 junior players (WJ U18). Suggested strategies for injury prevention include full facial protection for all players and flexible board and glass for all junior tournaments.

Background Information on ice hockey injuries at the international level is very limited. The aim of the study was to analyse the incidence, type, mechanism and severity of ice hockey injuries in men's international ice hockey tournaments. Methods All the injuries in men's International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship tournaments over a 7-year period were analysed using a strict definition of injury, standardised reporting strategies and an injury diagnosis made by a team physician. Results 528 injuries were recorded in games resulting in an injury rate of 14.2 per 1000 player-games (52.1/1000 player-game hours). Additionally, 27 injuries occurred during practice. For WC A-pool Tournaments and Olympic Winter Games (OWG) the injury rate was 16.3/1000 player-games (59.6/1000 player-game hours). Body checking, and stick and puck contact caused 60.7% of the injuries. The most common types of injuries were lacerations, sprains, contusions and fractures. A laceration was the most common facial injury and was typically caused by a stick. The knee was the most frequently injured part of the lower body and the shoulder was the most common site of an upper body injury. Arenas with flexible boards and glass reduced the risk of injury by 29% (IRR 0.71, (95% CI 0.56 to 0.91)). Conclusions The incidence of injury during international ice hockey competition is relatively high. Arena characteristics, such as flexible boards and glass, appeared to reduce the risk of injury.