This episode explores how vitamin D levels relate to performance, immunity, and recovery in young elite hockey players. Discover how deficiency impacts peak power and upper-body strength, and why monitoring vitamin D is crucial for athlete health.
Dive into the relationship between vitamin D status and athletic performance in youth hockey. We break down how low vitamin D levels correlate with decreased muscle power and immunity—shedding light on a vital, yet often overlooked, piece of the performance puzzle.
Main source: Vitamin D status and its relation to exercise performance and iron status in young ice hockey players
Joanna Orysiak, Joanna Mazur-Rozycka, John Fitzgerald, Michal Starczewski, Jadwiga Malczewska-Lenczowska, Krzysztof Busko
PLoS One. 2018; 13(4): e0195284. Published online 2018 Apr 9. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0195284
PMCID: PMC5891016

This episode explores how injury-related retirement affects the long-term quality of life for ice hockey players. From chronic pain and physical limitations to emotional struggles and social adaptation, we unpack the challenges players face after leaving the ice for good.
What happens when an injury ends a hockey career? We dive into the lives of retired players, examining how physical pain, psychological distress, and disrupted identity shape their well-being post-retirement.
Main source: Quality of life of ice hockey players after retirement due to concussions
Anna Gard, Niklas Lehto, Åsa Engström, Pashtun Shahim, Henrik Zetterberg, Kaj Blennow, Niklas Marklund, Yelverton Tegner
Concussion. 2020 Sep; 5(3): CNC78. Published online 2020 Aug 4. doi: 10.2217/cnc-2020-0007
PMCID: PMC7506471

This episode dives into the mechanical factors that drive sprinting and change of direction (COD) in ice hockey. Learn how force-velocity profiles, power output, and technique contribute to performance—and how training can fine-tune them.
What makes a player fast and agile on the ice? We explore the mechanics behind sprinting and COD performance, revealing the role of horizontal force, reactive strength, and technical execution in elite hockey.
Main source: Mechanical Determinants of Sprinting and Change of Direction in Elite Female Field Hockey Players
Alejandro Bustamante-Garrido, Mikel Izquierdo, Bianca Miarka, Ariel Cuartero-Navarrete, Jorge Pérez-Contreras, Esteban Aedo-Muñoz, Hugo Cerda-Kohler
Sensors (Basel) 2023 Sep; 23(18): 7663. Published online 2023 Sep 5. doi: 10.3390/s23187663
PMCID: PMC10537788

Hip injuries are a serious concern in elite ice hockey. In this episode of 'The Science of Hockey,' The Analyst dives into research on femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) and explores how professional and subelite players fare after arthroscopic hip surgery. From RTS and RTP rates to position-specific trends, we cover it all.
What are the odds a pro hockey player returns after hip surgery? We explore new data on return to sport and performance after treating femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) in elite athletes, breaking down what it means for the future of hockey rehabilitation.
Main source: Return to Sport for Professional and Subelite Ice Hockey Players After Arthroscopic Surgery for Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome
Ida Lindman, Martin Löfskog, Axel Öhlin, Josefin Abrahamsson, Eric Hamrin Senorski, Jon Karlsson, Olufemi R. Ayeni, Mikael Sansone
Orthop J Sports Med. 2022 May; 10(5): 23259671221089984. Published online 2022 May 9. doi: 10.1177/23259671221089984
PMCID: PMC9092588

This episode investigates whether concussion education programs actually improve knowledge and behavior among hockey players. Learn how well players understand symptoms, risks, and reporting—and what more needs to be done to protect athletes.
Explore the link between education and concussion awareness in ice hockey. This episode reveals how informed players really are about head injuries, and whether formal education helps prevent underreporting and risky play.
Main source: Association between concussion education and concussion knowledge, beliefs and behaviours among youth ice hockey parents and coaches: a cross-sectional study
Amanda M. Black, Keith Owen Yeates, Shelina Babul, Alberto Nettel-Aguirre, Carolyn A. Emery
BMJ Open. 2020; 10(8): e038166. Published online 2020 Aug 23. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-038166
PMCID: PMC7445332

This episode explores the effectiveness of mouthguards and visors in preventing injuries among youth ice hockey players. Learn which protective equipment reduces risk—and which may offer limited benefit—based on data from thousands of players.
Are mouthguards and visors making a difference in youth hockey safety? We dive into the science behind protective gear, analyzing injury trends, types of trauma, and what the evidence says about real-world impact.
Main source: Protective equipment in youth ice hockey: are mouthguards and helmet age relevant to concussion risk?
Ash T Kolstad, Paul H Eliason, Jean-Michel Galarneau, Amanda Marie Black, Brent E Hagel, Carolyn A Emery
Br J Sports Med. 2023 May; 57(10): 571–577. Published online 2023 Mar 14. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2022-105585Correction in: Br J Sports Med. 2024 May 2; 58(10): e6.
PMCID: PMC10176392

This episode explores substance use and availability among ex-professional ice hockey players. Learn how pain, mental health, and team culture influence the use of prescription and recreational drugs—and what it reveals about the lasting toll of the sport.
Dive into a study examining how retired pro hockey players manage pain and health post-career. Discover the patterns of drug use, both prescribed and illicit, and the factors that shape athletes' decisions long after they leave the ice.
Main source: Substance availability and use in ex-professional ice hockey enforcers
Michael Gaetz
Sci Rep. 2022; 12: 22204. Published online 2022 Dec 23. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-26806-7
PMCID: PMC9789070

This episode explores the link between the FAAH gene polymorphism and performance traits in elite hockey players. Discover how a genetic variant may influence motivation, pain tolerance, and resilience—giving some athletes a psychological edge.
Dive into the fascinating connection between genetics and athletic performance in ice hockey. We unpack how the FAAH rs324420 polymorphism affects mental traits like persistence and stress response, potentially influencing success at the elite level.
Main source: FAAH rs324420 Polymorphism Is Associated with Performance in Elite Rink-Hockey Players
Hugo-Henrique Silva, Valéria Tavares, Maria-Raquel G. Silva, Beatriz Vieira Neto, Fátima Cerqueira, Rui Medeiros
Biology (Basel) 2022 Jul; 11(7): 1076. Published online 2022 Jul 20. doi: 10.3390/biology11071076
PMCID: PMC9312224

This episode dives into the high prevalence and severity of hip and groin injuries among male ice hockey players across all levels. Learn what movements and positions are most at risk, and how training load, age, and level of play influence injury patterns.
Main source: Incidence, Prevalence, and Severity of and Risk Factors for Hip and Groin Problems in Swedish Male Ice Hockey Players: A 1-Season Prospective Cohort Study
Tobias Wörner, Kristian Thorborg, Benjamin Clarsen, Frida Eek
J Athl Train. 2022 Jan; 57(1): 72–78. Published online 2021 May 26. doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-0522.20
PMCID: PMC8775280

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

Explore the interplay of cognitive and motor skills in elite ice hockey players. This episode delves into how multitasking affects performance and compares dual-task costs across open- and closed-skill sports, shedding light on training and talent identification.
Discover how elite athletes manage dual-task demands that combine speed and focus. Learn about the differences in cognitive-motor performance between hockey players and athletes in other sports, and why multitasking is a key to success on the ice.
Main source: Dual-task costs in speed tasks: a comparison between elite ice hockey, open-skill and closed-skill sports athletes
Mark Brinkbäumer, Christian Kupper, Lukas Reichert, Karen Zentgraf
Front Psychol. 2024; 15: 1357312. Published online 2024 Jul 15. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1357312
PMCID: PMC11284104

Explore the effects of wearing surgical face masks on youth hockey performance during intense exercise. This episode examines whether masks impact oxygen levels, heart rate, or skating ability, and the surprising results reveal practical insights for safe play.
Can face masks be worn without affecting performance in youth hockey? This episode dives into a study showing minimal impact on exercise metrics, including muscle oxygenation and power output, providing reassurance for safe mask use in sports.
Main source: Wearing a Surgical Face Mask Has Minimal Effect on Performance and Physiological Measures during High-Intensity Exercise in Youth Ice-Hockey Players: A Randomized Cross-Over Trial
Keely A. Shaw, Scotty Butcher, Jong Bum Ko, Abdi Absher, Julianne Gordon, Cody Tkachuk, Gordon A. Zello, Philip D. Chilibeck
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Oct; 18(20): 10766. Published online 2021 Oct 14. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182010766
PMCID: PMC8535201

This episode explores the psychological effects of concussions on hockey players, focusing on how injuries disrupt and reshape their identity. Learn about the challenges of mental illness, stigma, and the journey toward recovery and reconstruction.
Dive into the interplay between concussions and mental health in hockey. From depression and isolation to biographical reconstruction, this episode uncovers how players navigate the emotional and social impacts of their injuries.
Main source: Understanding the psychiatric effects of concussion on constructed identity in hockey players: Implications for health professionals
Ryan Todd, Shree Bhalerao, Michael T. Vu, Sophie Soklaridis, Michael D. Cusimano
PLoS One. 2018; 13(2): e0192125. Published online 2018 Feb 21. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192125
PMCID: PMC5821444