Injuries in Women's Ice Hockey: Special Considerations

Ice hockey is a popular collision sport with a growing number of female athletes participating each year. As participation among girls and women continues to increase, it will be important to recognize common injuries occurring during women's games. Despite difference in the rules that prohibit body checking in women's and girls' games, injury profiles are similar to those of their male counterparts. Concussions, contusions, acromioclavicular joint injuries, ligamentous knee injuries, and muscle strains occur during women's ice hockey games, with groin strains accounting for the most common practice injury. This article will review both injury rates and common injuries occurring in women's ice hockey, with a focus on the observed concussion rate and groin injuries.