Youth Hockey Injuries on the Rise

[Conley]

Two tragic spine injuries in Minnesota high school hockey games in the last month have sparked debate among parents, officials, and fans over how the rough sport can be made safer.

On Dec. 30, 16-year-old high school sophomore Jack Jablonski’s spine was severely damaged at the neck when he was checked twice from behind in a junior varsity game and crashed headfirst into the boards of the rink. After surgery to repair two vertebrae in his neck, the teen has begun rehabilitation, but his doctors don’t expect him to walk again.

Then, on January 6, high school senior Jenna Privette’s spine was injured when she fell either after crashing into the boards on her own or after having been slammed into them by an opposing player. Officials and family members are in vehement disagreement on the cause of the 18-year-old’s injury. It’s unclear whether Privette will recover.

http://vitals.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/27/10252150-after-tragic-teen-hockey-injuries-can-a-rough-sport-become-safer

Two thoughts - why not crack down on checking in the kids leagues and put padding on the boards above say, a foot off the ground? Leave college, semi-pro, and pro alone.

[Mister D]

I didn't know there was such a thing as girl's hockey. Anyway, that's terrible.

[Conley]

According to the article all checking in girl's hockey is already illegal. Mr. Burns brought up hockey injuries when I posted about the extreme sports deaths and I didn't realize this kind of thing was happening with some frequency.

[Mr. Burns]

The main problem with hockey injuries nowadays stem from two places

1. Kids are not being taught to check correctly. We do not show them to check with their shoulder, not their hands, and not to hit from behind or to the head. Also, referees are not calling this.
2. Equipment needs an upgrade. Helmets don't do anything to prevent concussions or head injuries.

[Mister D]

Shocking, actually.

[Conley]

True. Also high school kids are much bigger now than they used to be, thanks to improved nutrition, weight training, etc. The same phenomenon you see in football. The force of impacts are much greater and the spine is still just as vulnerable as it ever was. For children's hockey I wonder if they couldn't implement a neck support like what some football players wear on their back to prevent the head from snapping back.

http://blog.al.com/rapsheet/2008/01/small_GLENNHARBIN2_15200.JPG

edit: That gentleman does not look pleased to be having his picture taken. :grin:

(but you can see the neck support)

[Mister D]

True. Also high school kids are much bigger now than they used to be, thanks to improved nutrition, weight training, etc. The same phenomenon you see in football. The force of impacts are much greater and the spine is still just as vulnerable as it ever was. For children's hockey I wonder if they couldn't implement a neck support like what some football players wear on their back to prevent the head from snapping back.

http://blog.al.com/rapsheet/2008/01/small_GLENNHARBIN2_15200.JPG

That makes sense. Obviously, they'll need to take some kind of precaution. Is checking from behind a penalty? I don't know much about hockey.

[MMC]

Yep checking from behind is a penalty if it is on the body. Not like if they are poke checking tho. Thats going after the puck, so they say.

[Mister D]

Yep checking from behind is a penalty if it is on the body. Not like if they are poke checking tho. Thats going after the puck, so they say.


You been poked from behind, MMC? :shocked:

[MMC]

You been poked from behind, MMC? :shocked:

Not me brutha.....I don't play hockey. Not to mention going backwards isnt to easy on ice. :wink:

[Mister D]

Not me brutha.....I don't play hockey. Not to mention going backwards isnt to easy on ice. :wink:

Well, since you live in Chi town I figured maybe you were poked from behind on the ice. It's plausible at least. :grin:

[MMC]

It is 50 degrees here today. Feb in Chicago. Hard to believe. Yeah but you forgot I hate Winter!

[Conley]

50 degrees?! :woohoo: :grin:

[Mister D]

yeah. very mild winter this year. Al Gore must have given a few GW warming speeches.

[MMC]

They were saying some parts Japan got hit with 7 feet of snow over a 10 day period. Once the first week of April passes then I might be assured we wont get blasted in March.

[Mister D]

Some bridge collapsed n Japan becuase of the snow. I was reading about that.

[MMC]

Some bridge collapsed n Japan becuase of the snow. I was reading about that.

Yeah and it was a steel bridge they said.

[Mister D]

Yeah and it was a steel bridge they said.

52 dead or semething like that.

[Conley]

Wow, I didn't hear about that. Awful. I guess they didn't factor in the weight of all that snow? Seems odd that would do it especially considering how modern the infrastructure is there and how they must be built to withstand earthquakes.

[MMC]

:shocked: Wow I didnt hear that.