Injury Patterns and Specialization Age in Elite Female Ice-Hockey Athletes
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53646/hccbq231Keywords:
Female Athlete, Women's Sports, Ice-Hockey, Youth Sport, Sports Injury, Concussion, Specialization, MenarcheAbstract
BACKGROUND: Amongst youth athletes, a trend towards earlier specialization in a single sport has been observed and may be associated with increased injury rates and burnout. In elite women’s ice-hockey, neither the implications of early sport specialization nor generalized injury patterns have been well described. This study investigates the association of early specialization in elite female ice-hockey players with injury prevalence and highest level of play attained, and characterizes injury location in elite female ice-hockey players.
METHODS: An online survey was distributed to elite female ice-hockey players including current and retired high school, collegiate, professional, and Olympic/ World Championship players. Athletes reported date of birth, height, weight, handedness, highest level of play, and ice-hockey related injury data. Injury data included specific diagnoses, laterality, and if it required time out of sport.
RESULTS: 259 athletes completed the survey. Older age at specialization was associated with higher levels of play, with 12.9 (± 2.4) years for high school up to 15.0 (± 3.0) years for senior national team level. There was no association between the age at specialization and professional level play, total injuries, concussions, or fractures sustained during ice-hockey (p > 0.05). 49.0% of players reported ice-hockey related concussions, with mean number of concussions per player of 0.9 (± 1.1). Laterality of injury was associated with shooting side dominance. 71.8% of retired players reported ongoing physical and/or mental health issues.
CONCLUSION: No significant association was found between age at specialization in ice-hockey and professional level play or number of injuries, paralleling findings in elite men’s ice-hockey players. Concussion was the most common injury reported, emphasizing the significant prevalence of head injuries on women’s sports. A significant proportion of retired players reported ongoing issues secondary to ice-hockey injuries.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Claire Margaret Thompson, Isabel Wolfe, Caroline A. Dannacher, Raven Hollis, Guillem Gonzalez-Lomas, Abigail L. Campbell
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