As we head into the winter sports season, we thought we would highlight a winter sport that we haven’t talked about before but continues to be a popular choice in the Penrith region, ice hockey!
This fast, physically demanding sport requires fantastic hand-eye coordination, agility, accuracy, speed and strength. Add to that the ability to handle the stick, control the puck and (in elite leagues) to bodycheck and hit other players into the sideboards…all while skating extremely fast! To say the least, ice hockey is extremely tolling on the players body.
In terms of common injuries, ice hockey injuries are generally categorised into two, they are either a chronic overuse injury or an acute injury, resulting from instant trauma. Overuse injuries accumulate overtime and can include aches and pains but these can be prevented with adequate re-training and rest. However, acute injuries of course require immediate first aid and recommended next steps.
One of the most important measures an ice hockey player can take to avoid injury, at the very least, is to ensure they have all of the quality protective equipment that they need such as helmets, pads and full protective gear to either prevent or lessen the severity of injuries sustained on the ice.
As you can imagine, most of the common injuries we see ice hockey players suffer are the result of trauma on the ice. Here are some of the most common injury areas that we see in ice hockey players:
– Shoulders
– Hand & wrist
– Hamstrings
– Head & neck
Many of these injuries can be caused by instances such as:
– Hard body checks
– Player collisions
– Forced collisions with walls and the ice
– Direct hits from the puck
– Hits from sticks
– Excessive skating
– Incorrect technique
As you can see in the lists above, head & neck injuries, as well as shoulder injuries are often acute, resulting from clashes on the ice. Hand & wrist as well as hamstring injuries tend to fall into the overuse category. Thankfully, all of these kinds of injuries can all be treated with the help of a physiotherapist.
An experienced physiotherapist will be able to accurately assess your injury and:
– Talk to you about the best treatment options
– Create a personalised rehabilitation program
– Suggest take-home exercises
– Give you strategies to minimise the injury from reoccurring
– Get you back to your pre-injury status and ensure a return to play
Got questions?
You can be confident that our qualified and highly skilled physiotherapists will be able to successfully rehabilitate your injury or advise on any concerns you may have. Contact Progressive Sport and Spinal Physiotherapy today on 02 47217798 or email: info@progressiverehab.com.au. Alternatively, you can make an online appointment booking by clicking here
At Progressive Sports and Spinal Physiotherapy Penrith, we are able to assess, treat, educate and manage all musculoskeletal injuries. We focus on hands-on treatment, exercise prescription and self management techniques tailored to your specific needs. We utilise evidence based treatments to maximise your outcomes.
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Elin, is an alumni of St. Edward’s University and holder of a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology, furthered her academic journey by attaining a Doctor of Physiotherapy from Macquarie University in 2022.
Her passion for sports, particularly football (soccer), is evident in both her academic pursuits and personal endeavors. Specialising in the comprehensive well-being of athletes, Elin focuses on restoring them to peak performance while actively preventing future injuries.
Elin’s professional expertise is centered on musculoskeletal rehabilitation, with a specific emphasis on addressing and preventing knee injuries. Her approach integrates expert treatment with a commitment to educating and empowering patients, fostering their active involvement in enhancing their health and overall quality of life.
As an active participant in NPL football with SD Raiders, Elin brings firsthand experience and a profound understanding of the sport’s demands. Beyond the field, she extends her influence by contributing sports coverage over the weekends.
Christopher (Chris) Han graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor’s Degree in Occupational Therapy, and then completed the Doctor of Physiotherapy program at Macquarie University in 2018. Chris is currently undertaking his PhD at the University of Sydney and Institute for Musculoskeletal Health in the field of low back pain and is due to complete this in early 2024.
Chris is currently an assistant Physiotherapist for the NRL Referees. Chris has previous experience as the head Physiotherapist at Panthers Premier League Netball and a number of elite sporting athletes in the private setting.
Through Chris’ experiences, he has a particular interest in all areas of the body and musculoskeletal physiotherapy, sports, vestibular rehabilitation, and Men’s Health (pre and post prostate surgery).
Suzanne graduated from Western Sydney University with a Bachelor of Health Science (Sports and Exercise Science) in 2015. She then went on to continue her studies at Macquarie University graduating from the Doctor of Physiotherapy post-graduate degree in June 2019.
Since graduating, Suzanne has worked in the local Penrith area in both private practice and Sports Physiotherapy. Suzanne has worked with sporting teams including Penrith District Netball Association, Mt Druitt Rangers (NPL), Penrith Valley Figure Skating Club, and local dance and cheer schools.
Suzanne has a particular interest in working with artistic athletes including cheerleaders and dancers. She has a professional background in both cheer and dance and has previously worked as both a cheer coach and dance teacher. Suzanne’s previous experiences are an invaluable resource to her as a physiotherapist, as she has a thorough understanding of the level of physical fitness and skill acquisition that these athletes must have in order to be successful on stage and in competition.
Suzanne’s other areas of clinical interest reside in lower limb musculoskeletal injuries, spinal pathologies and women’s health.
Nathanial graduated as a physiotherapist in 2012 which saw him work in private practice and hospital settings gaining experience in all areas of physiotherapy including hand therapy, splinting/casting, pre/post-operative care, Men’s Health and general musculoskeletal, occupational and sports physiotherapy. Since then he has gone on to complete further studies in physiotherapy enabling him to be the only dual titled Musculoskeletal, Sports and Exercise Physiotherapist in Penrith.
Nathanial has a strong background in sports physiotherapy achieving accreditation with NSWIS as a service provider and working with many elite sports teams.
Nathanial has a particular interest in working with elite athletes, complex cases and in particular assessment and management of knee, hip and shoulder pain.
Andrea graduated from the Australian Catholic University completing her Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science in 2018 and Master’s of Clinical Exercise Physiology in 2020. After graduating she attained accreditation with ESSA as an Exercise Physiologist.
During her studies she gained clinical experience in both hospital and private practice settings, in cardiac rehabilitation, neurological conditions, cancer and chronic musculoskeletal injuries.
Since working at Progressive, Andrea has a specialist interest in treating musculoskeletal injuries, helping people in the mid-late stage of rehab to get them to return to sport or work. As well as helping people manage chronic conditions such as arthritis, osteoporosis and diabetes.