This episode explores the current concepts in diagnosing, treating, and preventing cervical spine injuries in ice hockey. From game-speed collisions to sideline management, learn how spine boards, imaging, and return-to-play protocols shape outcomes.
Dive into the critical care of cervical spine injuries in ice hockey. We cover the latest in on-ice assessment, imaging decisions, and surgical vs. conservative treatment—plus how to keep players safe while maintaining high-level performance.
Main source: Cervical Spine Injuries in the Ice Hockey Player: Current Concepts in Epidemiology, Management and Prevention
Cole Morrissette, Paul J. Park, Ronald A. Lehman, Charles A. Popkin
Global Spine J. 2021 Oct; 11(8): 1299–1306. Published online 2020 Nov 18. doi: 10.1177/2192568220970549
PMCID: PMC8453685

This episode dives into how functional movement patterns and dynamic balance relate to skating speed and agility in young elite male hockey players. Discover why hip mobility, lower body asymmetries, and balance might be the keys to unlocking faster, more efficient skating.
Explore the science behind skating performance in youth hockey. Learn how movement screens, balance tests, and hidden asymmetries affect speed and agility—and what coaches and players can do to improve training and prevent injuries.
Main source: The relationship between functional movement patterns, dynamic balance and ice speed and agility in young elite male ice hockey players
Małgorzata Grabara, Anna Bieniec
PeerJ. 2024; 12: e18092. Published online 2024 Oct 11. doi: 10.7717/peerj.18092
PMCID: PMC11472790

This episode examines the developmental journeys of elite junior hockey players and the push toward early sport specialization. Discover how hours of practice, dropping other sports, and intense training at a young age shape success and risk in Canada’s hockey system.
Explore what early sport specialization really looks like for elite junior hockey players. From deliberate play to deliberate practice, learn how players trade childhood fun for competitive edge—and the physical and psychological risks that come with it.

This episode dives into a study combining helmet sensors and video to reveal when and how head impacts occur in men’s university hockey. Learn why glass hits are more common than boards, how few penalties are called, and what this means for player safety and concussion prevention.
Discover the hidden patterns of head impacts in men’s hockey. We unpack the circumstances, severity, and overlooked hits that don’t get penalized—giving you a new perspective on concussion risks, protective gear, and needed rule changes.
Main source: Associations between the circumstances and severity of head impacts in men’s university ice hockey
Olivia M. G. Aguiar, Tim R. Chow, Helen Chong, Omid Vakili, Stephen N. Robinovitch
Sci Rep. 2023; 13: 17402. Published online 2023 Oct 13. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-43785-5
PMCID: PMC10575878

This episode explores why elite ice hockey players use dietary supplements to manage weight and boost performance, despite the risks of contamination and unintentional doping. Learn how team culture, trust in coaches, and sponsorships shape supplement habits on and off the ice.
Discover the real motivations behind dietary supplement use in elite ice hockey. From protein shakes and creatine to anti-doping risks, this episode reveals how players balance performance, nutrition, and the threat of unintentional doping violations.
Main source: Motivations for Using Dietary Supplements in Elite Ice Hockey—Controlling Weight and Enhancing Performance
Sofie Christensen, Astrid Gjelstad, Ingunn Björnsdottir, Fredrik Lauritzen
Nutrients. 2024 Aug; 16(16): 2667. Published online 2024 Aug 13. doi: 10.3390/nu16162667
PMCID: PMC11357155

This episode explores how elite ice hockey players rely on painkillers and hypnotics to manage injuries and sleep. Discover how team culture, macho attitudes, and deep trust in medical staff shape medication use—and the risks it poses for health and anti-doping compliance.
Dive into a mixed-method study on the use of medications in elite ice hockey. From NSAIDs to sleeping pills, learn how high training loads, late games, and team dynamics drive reliance on pharmaceuticals, sometimes at the cost of long-term health and clean sport.
Main source: Medicalization of Sport? A Mixed-Method Study on the Use of Medications in Elite Ice Hockey
Sofie Christensen, Astrid Gjelstad, Ingunn Björnsdottir, Fredrik Lauritzen
Sports (Basel) 2024 Jan; 12(1): 19. Published online 2024 Jan 5. doi: 10.3390/sports12010019
PMCID: PMC10818849

This episode dives into a study comparing low back pain across pro ice hockey, football, and floorball players. Learn why hockey players have a 2.18-times greater risk of back pain, what factors contribute to it, and how prevention can protect careers.
Explore the hidden burden of low back pain in professional athletes. We break down why ice hockey players are most affected, what movements and conditions increase risk, and how targeted prevention can make a difference.
Main source: Comparative Risk Analysis of Low Back Pain among Professional Football, Ice Hockey, and Floorball Athletes
Magdaléna Hagovská, Alena Buková, Peter Takáč, Viliam Knap, Perla Ondová, Katarína Oravcová, Anna Kubincová
Med Sci Monit. 2023; 29: e941386-1–e941386-8. Prepublished online 2023 Jun 7. Published online 2023 Sep 6. doi: 10.12659/MSM.941386
PMCID: PMC10494549

This episode explores how wearable sensors measure body impacts in elite hockey players. Learn how video analysis confirms the accuracy of sensor-detected collisions and what it means for player safety and injury prevention.
Discover the science behind wearable impact sensors in ice hockey. We examine how well these sensors track body contact, from checks to falls, and their role in improving injury monitoring and player protection.
Main source: Video corroboration of player incurred impacts using trunk worn sensors among national ice-hockey team members
Aaron Pilotti-Riley, Davor Stojanov, Muhammad Sohaib Arif, Stephen J. McGregor
PLoS One. 2019; 14(6): e0218235. Published online 2019 Jun 24. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218235
PMCID: PMC6590802