Hockey enthusiasts most commonly injure their hands, shoulders, knees, and face

While Latvia’s national hockey team is demonstrating its professional skills at the World Hockey Championship in Switzerland, many children and young people are still just learning the game. There are also many enthusiasts who play hockey in their free time, participating in weekend tournaments and amateur games after work. Accident insurance statistics compiled by BTA Baltic Insurance Company AAS (hereinafter – BTA) for the past three years show that hockey injuries most frequently involve the hands, shoulders, knees, ankles, and face. Overall, alongside other sports, hockey ranks 5th in terms of the number of claims filed. 

60% of injuries are sustained in the “heat” of the game 

BTA’s data from the past three years shows that hockey injuries are mostly sustained during games rather than during practice – 60% of claims are directly related to injuries sustained during games. Most commonly, these are injuries to the arms, as well as the shoulders, knees, and ankles. These are parts of the body that are particularly stressed in hockey – whether a player is falling on the ice, absorbing an impact during a collision, or reacting to fast-paced game situations. 

“Claims clearly highlight the risks characteristic of each sport. For example, hockey is a dynamic sport at both the professional and amateur levels – it involves excitement, speed, physical contact, and rapid movements, so injuries are most sustained during player collisions, falls on the ice, as well as physical contact along the boards or after being struck by the puck or stick. Even a relatively minor injury can mean prolonged treatment and rehabilitation, which can affect a person’s ability to work or attend school. “This is precisely why accident insurance is particularly important both for children and young people who are still developing their skills and reflexes, as well as for adult enthusiasts who play sports in their free time,” explains Ivo Danče, Director of the Claims Department at BTA Insurance and insurance expert Ivo Danče. 

Hockey players often sustain multiple injuries at once 

BTA’s experience shows that in cases of injuries to the hands, fingers, forearms, and wrists, the most common injuries are fractures, contusions, and sprains. For example, in one of the reported cases, two players collided, and as a result of the impact, one of them fell and suffered a broken arm. In the case of shoulder injuries, however, the most common injuries are damage to the shoulder joints and ligaments, as well as contusions – injuries sustained after contact with an opponent, when one player collides with another’s shoulder, falls onto a shoulder, or crashes into the boards at high speed. Meanwhile, knee and ankle injuries in hockey are often associated with joint sprains, dislocations, and injuries resulting from a misstep. For example, in one case, a player was battling for position on the ice, lost his balance, fell, and injured his knee. 

Leg fractures are also common – in cases reported to BTA, one hockey player fell awkwardly during a game and suffered two simultaneous fractures of the lower leg, for which accident insurance claim of 900 euros was paid. 

“Among the most unpleasant injuries are also facial and head injuries, involving deep lacerations, dental injuries, eye injuries, and head contusions. Furthermore, multiple injuries can be sustained in a single incident, potentially resulting in months of treatment and recovery. In one of the cases reported to BTA, an eye injury was sustained when a stick was raised high and struck the eye, affecting vision as a result. In another situation, a flying puck hit the face, causing facial and dental injuries,” reveals Ivo Danče. 

Crashing into the boards, a flying puck, and a high stick – the most common causes of injury 

One of the most common injury scenarios is a collision with the rink boards – a player is knocked into the boards or skates into them at high speed, striking them with their back, shoulder, or side. For example, as seen in BTA accident insurance claims, in one case a player, while skating backward, hit the boards with his back; the pain did not subside, and a vertebral injury was later diagnosed. In another case, an opposing player made a forceful move, after which the victim hit the boards and sustained a shoulder joint ligament injury. 

Hockey players also sustain injuries while battling for the puck, when a player comes into contact with an opponent, loses balance, collides with another player, or falls onto the ice. A situation particularly characteristic of hockey is being struck by the puck or a stick – namely, in these cases, the puck hits the face, mouth, ribs, knee, leg, or wrist. For example, in one instance during a game, a hockey player suffered a broken wrist while blocking the puck’s path. 

“Sports are meant to be enjoyed, and the risk of injury is no reason to give up an active lifestyle. At the same time, athletes should consider the entire safety chain – appropriate protective gear, warm-ups, choosing the right level of exertion, what to do in case of an injury, and financial security in situations where treatment or rehabilitation is needed,” says Ivo Danče.