Risk factors for groin injuries in hockey

Purpose: The objective of this cohort study was to determine the level of o ff-season sport specific activity, peak isometric adductor torque, and hip abduction flexibility that are predictive of groin or abdominal strain inju ry in the National Hockey League (NHL). Methods: The subjects were 1292 con senting NHL players. Estimated relative risks of injury are reported using the following exposures: 1) level of sport specific training in the off-sea son, 2) peak isometric adductor torque, 3) total hip abduction flexibility, 4) previous injury, 5) years of NEL experience, and 6) skate blade hollow measurement. Estimates of probability of injury are predicted for various l evels of exposures on the basis of logistic regression analysis. Results: D uring training camp, players who reported less than 18 sessions sport speci fic training in the off-season were at greater than three times the risk of injury than those who did not (relative risk (RR); 3.38 95% confidence int erval (CI), 1.45-7.92). Players who reported previous history of this injur y were at more than two times the risk of injury than those who did not (RR , 2.88; 95% CI, 1.33-6.26). Veterans were at greater than five times the ri sk of injury than rookies (RR, 5.69; 95% CI, 2.05-15.85). Peak isometric ad ductor torque, total abduction flexibility, and skate blade hollow measurem ent were not predictive of injury. There is evidence of a dose-response gra dient as predicted probability of injury decreases with increasing levels o f sport specific training. In the regular season, sport specific training w as not as strong a risk factor (RR, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.0-5.39). Conclusion: Lo w levels of off-season sport specific training and previous injury are clea rly risks for groin injury at an elite level of hockey. Future research is required to investigate prevention strategies. for this injury in hockey.