Safety Tips: Hockey

The nonstop action and high-speed team play of hockey makes it a popular sport. As fun as it is, though, hockey carries a real risk of injury. To stay as safe as possible, players should follow these tips.

What Safety Gear Do Hockey Players Need?

It’s important to get all the right protective hockey equipment, know how to put it on, and then use it correctly.

Hockey players need:

• A helmet. When it comes to preventing serious injuries, this is the most important piece of gear. Helmets should be certified by the Hockey Equipment Certification Council (HECC) and include a full face mask with a protective chin cup and chin strap. It should fit a player properly, and they should keep the chin strap fastened and tightened so the helmet stays in place.
• Skates. As with helmets, skates should fit well. They need to be laced up tight, so skates that aren't the right size can hurt feet. Skates should have plenty of ankle support and a steel or hard plastic toe cup. Keep skates sharp so they work better and are less likely to get caught in ruts in the ice.
• Shoulder pads, elbow pads, knee pads, and shin pads. These are all specific to hockey. Gear used in soccer or lacrosse won’t give hockey players the protection they need. Lower leg (knee and shin) pads should have a hard plastic exterior and reach the top of the skates.
• Hockey pants. Also called breezers, these should reach to the knee and offer padding in the front, rear, and sides of the upper legs and midsection.
• Gloves. Another sport-specific item, hockey gloves should let hands move freely while protecting well past the wrist.
• Athletic supporter and cup. These are available as part of hockey undershorts or may be separate.
• Neck protector. These protect the neck from injury.
• Mouth guard. These protect the teeth, lips, cheeks, and tongue, and can help prevent jaw injuries.

Goalie Gear

Hockey goalies need a whole different set of equipment to stay safe. They should have a helmet, skates, neck protector, and athletic cup made for goalies. They should also wear:

• Leg pads. These should be the right length and thick enough to protect against hard slapshots.
• Arm pads and chest protector. Arm pads should reach all the way to the wrist. Chest protectors should wrap slightly around the sides to keep the entire front well protected.
• Blocker glove. This glove should let the fingers grip the stick easily but be very thick and cover most of the forearm.
• Catcher glove. Similar to a first baseman's glove in baseball, catcher gloves should have thick padding over the wrist and palm and should come well up the forearm.

How Can Hockey Players Stay Safe?

Before starting the season, players should get a sports physical. Their doctor can check for any health problems and talk about sports safety. Most schools won't let athletes play unless they've had a sports physical within the past year. And being in good shape can help players avoid injuries.

Players need to get comfortable on the ice before they can learn hockey skills. It can help to take skating lessons and practice how to stop, turn, fall, and get up from a fall. It's also helpful to know how to skate backward and stop and turn while skating backward.

To stay safe, players should:

• Always warm up and stretch before practice and matches.
• Follow the rules of and use proper techniques, like how to give and receive a check (if checking is allowed in the league). Learn how to collide with the boards safely and not with your head. 
• Stop playing if they feel pain or get hurt. Players must get checked by an athletic trainer, coach, doctor, or nurse before going back on the court.
  
• Know the symptoms of a concussion, like headache, dizziness or confusion. If they hit their head or don’t feel well, players should tell the trainer or coach right away. Follow return-to-play guidelines.
• Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of liquids before, during, and after games and practices.
• Know the team plan for emergencies.

What Else Should I Know?

• The team's coach should emphasize safe, fair play at practices and games.
• Players should be respectful of the referees and not argue with their calls. They should stay calm if an opposing player does something they disagree with. They should not take it personally or start a fight — let the referees handle it.
• It can help to play different sports throughout the year to prevent repetitive stress injuries (overuse injuries). These happen when someone trains too much or makes the same motions over and over.