Nose Creek Physical Therapy Information on Shoulder Injury

Ice hockey is a game of high speeds. Skating speeds of up to 50 km/hr have been recorded at the professional level. The force of those speeds alone, estimated at 1.5 to 2.5 times the body weight, with rapid changes in speed and direction can result in soft tissue trauma. Stir into that formula, puck velocities of up to 200 km/h, the hardness of the ice and the rigidity of the boards. Then add an opposition who wants you to feel the full impact of the force, and you’ve got a recipe for injury. Any combination of high speed, hard surface, unyielding boards, frequent collisions and potentially dangerous equipment can result in a variety of injuries.

Hockey is a contact sport and contact is where the majority of injuries originate. One of the most common injuries physiotherapists see in the shoulder area is a separation. This occurs at the acromioclavicular (A/C) joint, where your collar bone (clavicle) joins the top of the shoulder blade (acromion). The injury is likely caused by a player being checked into the boards resulting in a downward blow against the outer end of the shoulder, a collision with another player, or a fall to the ice where the player falls on an outstretched hand.

In a contact sport like hockey, it is difficult to avoid such collisions. Even with a number of rule changes to ensure player safety, the frequency of shoulder injuries has not changed in recent years. This might indicate a need for improvement in shoulder pad design to better dissipate the forces transmitted through the shoulder. But if your not going to hang up your skates until that happens, you should be aware of the possibility of shoulder separation, how to identify it and what to expect if it happens to you.

Players who experience any of the above mentioned injury scenarios and complain of pain localized to the top of the shoulder should check if they demonstrate any step deformity (a dip) in the top of their shoulder. Second, they should move their arm across their chest at shoulder level and then move the arm behind them as if they were reaching backwards. Then, palpate the top of the shoulder at the A/C joint. If all these tests result in pain, it is likely that an A/C joint sprain has occurred.

For first aid treatment, Nose Creek physiotherapists recommend immediately supporting the injured arm in a sling and swath for transport. Application of ice for 15 minutes will help reduce pain and swelling. Then, most important of all, make sure you see a doctor for evaluation as soon as possible.

Your doctor may do x-rays, some of which may involve holding a weight in your hand on the affected side, to see how much separation occurs between the collar bone and the end of your shoulder. Once fractures have been ruled out and the severity of the separation is identified, your initial rehabilitation may include a period of immobilization. Subsequently, your Nose Crek physical therapist will apply modalities such as Ultrasound, Laser or Interferential Current to assist the healing. Physical therapy will also include guidance through a series of progressive Stage 1 to Stage 3 range of motion and strengthening exercises to speed up your return to play. But recovery time varies by individual and severity of injury so make sure to follow all your doctor’s and therapist’s instructions to shorten your recovery time by as much as possible.