Injury profile of elite under-21 age female field hockey players

The objective of this paper was to identify the rate, profile, and severity of injuries associated with participating on a provincial/state hockey (field) and compare these data, where possible, with available ice hockey data.

An injury was defined as ''any event, during team or team-related game, practice, and/or activity (on or off the playing surface), requiring any attention by the team's Therapist and/or Physician and subsequent game and/or practice time-loss''. Seventy-five players, under the age of 21 years participated in the study over a 5-year duration. All injury data were collected post-injury. Data were collected on the player position, games versus practice conditions, injury time, injury type, injury etiology, anatomical region and plane injured, injury status, and duration required to return to full activity.

A total of 2 828 athletes exposure's and 198 injuries were recorded. The combined injury rate was 70 injuries per 1 000 player game and practice exposures with significantly higher risk of injury resulting during the second half of a game or practice. Backs experienced the highest percentage and have a higher risk of injuries. The predominant injuries sustained included muscle strains, followed by tendonitis, while the highest number of injuries resulted from no contact. The lower back and ankle/foot were the most vulnerable to injury, followed by the knee.

From this study it can be concluded that hockey (field) players can experience higher injury rates than ice hockey. Also, field hockey players are at greater risk of injury depending on the playing position and are more likely to be injured during the latter duration of a game and/or practice. In identifying injury trends related to hockey, injury prevention strategies should be developed as players use limited protective equipment.