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Eliason PH, Galarneau JM, Babul S, Mrazik M, Bonfield S, Schneider KJ, Hagel BE, Emery CA. Safe2Play in youth ice hockey: injury profile and risk factors in a 5-year Canadian longitudinal cohort study. Ann Med 2024; 56:2385024. [PMID: 39189073 DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2024.2385024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Ice hockey is a popular global sport with growing participation for boys and girls yet remains a high-risk sport for injury. While the evidence for some risk factors, such as bodychecking policy is well established, other risk factors such as player sex have been understudied. The objectives of this study were to examine factors associated with rates of game-related injury, game-related injury resulting in >7 days of time-loss, and practice-related injury in youth ice hockey. MATERIALS AND METHODS Safe2Play was a five-year prospective cohort study (2013-2018). All injuries were identified using validated injury surveillance methodology. Multilevel Poisson regression (adjusting for cluster by team and including multiple imputation of missing covariates) was used to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for player sex, age group, bodychecking policy, year of play, level of play, weight, previous injury within last 12 months, previous lifetime concussion history, and position. RESULTS A total of 4418 male and female ice hockey players (representing 6584 player-seasons) participating in under-13 (ages 11-12), under-15 (ages 13-14) and under-18 (ages 15-17) age groups were recruited. There were 1184 game-related and 182 practice-related injuries. Factors associated with game-related injury included female sex (IRR = 1.57; 95% CI: 1.18-2.08), previous injury (IRR = 1.46; 95% CI: 1.26-1.70) and lifetime concussion history (IRR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.23-1.62). Goaltenders had a lower rate of injury (IRR = 0.54; 95% CI: 0.40-0.72) relative to forwards, as did players exposed to policy disallowing bodychecking in games (IRR = 0.44; 95% CI: 0.35-0.55). Female sex (IRR = 1.90; 95% CI: 1.10-3.28) and lifetime concussion history were also significantly associated with practice-related injury (IRR = 1.53; 95% CI: 1.08-2.18). CONCLUSIONS Based on data from a large 5-year Canadian youth ice hockey longitudinal cohort, several factors associated with injury were identified. Future injury prevention strategies should consider age, sex, previous concussion and injury history, and body checking leagues. Future research in female youth ice hockey including female-only leagues should be a priority to inform prevention strategies in this understudied population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul H Eliason
- Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- O'Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Jean-Michel Galarneau
- Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Shelina Babul
- Faculty of Medicine, British Columbia Injury Research and Prevention Unit, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Martin Mrazik
- Faculty of Education, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Stephan Bonfield
- Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Kathryn J Schneider
- Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Brent E Hagel
- Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- O'Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Carolyn A Emery
- Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- O'Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
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