Epidemiology of Upper Extremity Injuries in NCAA Men’s and Women’s Ice Hockey:

Background:Ice hockey is a physically demanding sport where athletes are susceptible to a variety of injuries. Several studies reported the overall injury rates in ice hockey; however, there is a paucity of information on upper extremity (UE) injuries among collegiate ice hockey players.Purpose:To describe the epidemiology of UE injuries among collegiate male and female ice hockey players with NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) injury surveillance data from 2004-2005 to 2013-2014.Study Design:Descriptive epidemiology study.Methods:Data were obtained from the NCAA Injury Surveillance Program for all UE injuries sustained during the academic years 2004-2005 to 2013-2014. Injury rates, rate ratios (RRs), and injury proportion ratios were reported with 95% CIs.Results:During the 10 years studied, the overall rate of UE injuries for men was higher than that for women (236 vs 125 injuries per 100,000 athlete-exposures [AEs]; RR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.67-2.15). UE injuries sustained during either pre- or ...