Prevalence and Burden of Self-Reported Health Problems in Junior Male Elite Ice Hockey Players: A 44-Week Prospective...

Little is known about the burden of overuse injuries and illnesses in junior elite ice hockey.

To describe the prevalence and burden of all health problems in junior male elite ice hockey players in Norway during 1 school year.

Descriptive epidemiological study.

A total of 206 junior male ice hockey players (mean age, 17 years; range, 15-20 years) attending specialized sports academy high schools in Norway reported all health problems, acute injuries, overuse injuries, and illnesses, weekly during the 2018-2019 school year (44 weeks). The players self-reported injuries and illnesses using the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center Questionnaire on Health Problems.

Of the players included, 25% (95% CI, 23%-27%) reported at least 1 health problem at any given time, while 16% (95% CI, 14%-17%) experienced health problems with a substantial negative effect on training and performance. Of the total burden of health problems, acute injuries accounted for 44%, overuse injuries 31%, and illnesses 25%. For acute injuries, the greatest burden was caused by injuries to the ankle, knee, and hand, whereas for overuse injuries the most burdensome location was the hip/groin and knee.

This study documented that while acute injuries did represent the greatest problem among junior elite ice hockey players, overuse injuries, especially to the knee and hip/groin, also had a substantial effect.