Hockey & Groin Injuries

Groin injuries in hockey are so common that they occupy catch phrases in the sport's lore, such as "hockey groin syndrome" and "slap shot gut." These ailments have been the focus of rigorous academic research.

  1. History

    • For hockey players and fans, "slap shot gut" is as common a phrase as "charley horse" is to weekend warriors. Hockey groin injuries got this name because, according to University of Colorado researchers, the pain intensifies when taking a slap shot (a hard shot where the player "winds up" with his stick) or pushing off to skate.

    Identification

    • Most hockey groin injuries result from muscle tears. When the heel of the hockey stick is forced to the ice before a slap shot, stress is placed on the abdominal wall, often leading to a groin injury. The University of Colorado academics point out that players who do not take slap shots, such as goaltenders, seem not to suffer from groin ailments.

    Significance

    • A University of Calgary study found that over six National Hockey League (NHL) seasons in the 1990s, 617 groin or abdominal strain injuries were reported.

    Considerations

    • Research from the University of Calgary shows that veteran NHLers are five times more likely to sustain groin injuries than rookies. Other factors that elevate a hockey player's chance of a groin injury include a low level of offseason sport-specific training and having a previous groin injury.

    Effects

    • The University of Calgary researchers note that abdominal and groin injuries account for a loss of 25 player games per year in the NHL.