Hockey. Brutal and brilliant, in equal measure. For speed, skill, and intensity, few sports match it. Especially when it comes to injuries. Whether it’s two opponents colliding at high velocity, a winger abruptly changing direction to chase an attacker, or anything in between, the chance of serious injury for anyone playing hockey is acute.
Injuries during a match are often unavoidable; wrong place, wrong time. Luck aside, you can do plenty to keep your body match-fit and injury-free. Like anything related to your health, prevention can prove all the difference. If you’re ready to enjoy a full season in the rink, you’re in the right place. Here are five off-ice strategies to keep you hockey healthy.
Get the right gear
When you’re a kid learning basic hockey skills, it’s natural to inherit your older sibling’s ragged gloves and scratched helmet. When you’re good enough to join a team, you need gear that fits. Ill-fitting hockey gear is not only a pain to wear, it can lead to more severe pain through injury.
A helmet a size too big is liable to slide forward and obstruct your vision following a collision. Or come off entirely. Your skates are no different. Hockey places immense strain on your ankles; without the support of skates that fit properly, you’re susceptible to season-ending injury.
Strengthen your core
Balance, stability, and posture. Any hockey player worth their salt is built on these three things. How do you develop this foundation? By strengthening your body’s core muscles. Think stomach, think glutes, think pelvis. Countless benefits come from strengthening your core; for this guide, the one that’ll interest you most is improved athletic performance.
The challenge is doing it right. Core-strengthening routines are not easy. You’re dealing with parts of the body like the spine and lower back, so make sure you have a personal trainer or conditioning coach oversee your routine.
Become a yogi
Kidding. Jokes aside, along with making your core the centre of strength, you must make the rest of your body just as strong and flexible. Taking yoga classes is one way, but if you don’t have the time or interest in finding your chakras, simply start stretching.
How much stretching should you do? It’s up to you. Listen to your body. If you play socially once a week with uni friends, a warm-up stretch before each match might suffice. If your ambitions are more serious, a weekly stretching routine will better suit. Just remember to always warm down after a match. Easing your body in and out of a hockey match is critical if you spend most of the day at the office.
Eat smart
With food, it’s always a case of what goes in reflects what comes out; in the case of hockey, what comes out is your performance on the ice. A healthy diet is a roadmap to a healthy life, so the more you embrace it, the better you will feel playing hockey. Like the balance you need on your skates, it’s about getting the right amount of the important things; fresh fruit and vegetables, wholegrain pasta, fish.
That said, don’t be too militant about your diet. The naughtier foods in life do serve a purpose. If going for burgers with the team after a match is ritual, keep that ritual. One of hockey’s shining lights is the camaraderie it fosters, so enjoy any chance you get to foster it.
Recover
What recovery means to you will likely depend on the level of hockey you play. Regardless, you will need to recover, even if you feel fit and ready to go again. Hockey’s not something you can do day after day, despite the thrill it gives. Your body needs to recharge properly.
Like strengthening your core, this strategy demands input from a health professional. If your friend has recently graduated from an online MSN FNP program, perfect; it’s highly likely they will specialize in holistic approaches to injury prevention and wellness. They’ll help you understand your limit, which is key to playing hockey in the long term.
Given hockey’s pace and ferocity, injuries are inevitable. For fans, they’re part of the spectacle and a key reason behind the sport’s appeal. For players, they’re obstacles best avoided, unless they fancy a permanent spot on the bench.
The trick is taking control of what you can control: your health, physical and mental. The more holistic your approach, the better chance you have at excelling in the rink. And if your whole team follows suit, the better chance you have of taking the title.
