Ice hockey

Ice hockey is a fast-paced game combining speed, skill, finesse, and power. Physical maturity and the introduction of body checking into the game during adolescence significantly increase the risk of injury in the young hockey athlete. Injury risk factors can be divided into intrinsic and extrinsic, with severity ranging from contusions, minor sprains, and strains to rare, catastrophic injuries, including cervical spine fracture, laryngeal trauma, skate blade lacerations to the neck, and commotio cordis. This chapter reviews the history and rules of ice hockey, the epidemiology and risk factors for ice hockey injuries, and injury prevention strategies for youth hockey athlete.