Common Hockey Injuries: Groin Strains, Hip Labral Injuries, Shoulder Separations, and ACL Tears

Hockey is a fast-paced sport that requires strength, speed, balance, agility, and quick changes in direction. While these physical demands make hockey exciting, they can also put significant stress on the muscles and joints.

From skating and shooting to sudden stops, collisions, and changes in direction, hockey players are at risk of a variety of injuries. Some of the most common injuries include groin strains, hip labral injuries, shoulder separations, and ACL tears.

Understanding these injuries, why they happen, and how physiotherapy can help is an important part of keeping hockey players healthy and getting them safely back on the ice.

At Physical Edge Physiotherapy in Oakville, Ontario, our physiotherapists work with hockey players of all ages and skill levels to treat injuries, improve strength and mobility, and help athletes safely return to hockey.

1. Groin Strains

Groin injuries are particularly common in hockey because skating requires repeated movements of the hips and legs away from and toward the body.

A groin strain occurs when one or more of the muscles on the inside of the thigh become overstretched or injured.

Common symptoms include:

• Pain in the groin or inner thigh

• Pain while skating

• Discomfort when changing direction

• Pain when pushing off during skating

• Pain with stretching the leg

• Weakness when bringing the leg toward the body

Groin pain doesn't always mean that you have a muscle strain. Hip problems and other conditions can also cause pain in this area, so an assessment can help determine the underlying cause.

How Can Physiotherapy Help?

Physiotherapy for a groin injury typically involves gradually rebuilding strength and the ability to tolerate hockey-specific movements.

Your physiotherapist may use:

• Adductor strengthening exercises

• Hip strengthening

• Core exercises

• Balance and stability exercises

• Mobility work

• Skating-specific exercises

• Progressive return-to-skating drills

The goal is to make sure the groin is strong enough to handle the demands of hockey before returning to full competition.

2. Hip Labral Injuries

The hip labrum is a ring of cartilage that helps provide stability to the hip joint.

Hockey players place considerable demands on their hips because of the deep, rotated position used during skating. Repetitive hip flexion and rotation may contribute to irritation of the hip joint and labrum in some athletes.

Symptoms of a Hip Labral Injury

Symptoms can vary, but may include:

• Pain deep in the front of the hip or groin

• Clicking or catching in the hip

• Pain with skating

• Pain when sitting for long periods

• Reduced hip mobility

• A feeling of stiffness or instability

Not every hip click means there is a labral tear, and hip pain can have many different causes. If symptoms persist, an assessment by a healthcare professional is recommended.

How Can Physiotherapy Help?

Physiotherapy can help improve the way the hip and surrounding muscles handle load.

Treatment may include:

• Hip and core strengthening

• Improving hip mobility where appropriate

• Glute strengthening

• Movement retraining

• Modifying activities that aggravate symptoms

• Gradual return to skating and hockey

In some cases, further medical assessment or imaging may be recommended.

3. Shoulder Separations

Shoulder separations are common in contact sports such as hockey.

A shoulder separation typically involves an injury to the acromioclavicular (AC) joint, where the collarbone meets part of the shoulder blade.

This can happen when a player falls directly onto the shoulder or takes a significant hit.

Common Symptoms

A shoulder separation may cause:

• Pain at the top of the shoulder

• Swelling or bruising

• Difficulty lifting the arm

• Pain when putting on equipment

• Tenderness around the AC joint

• Difficulty with pushing or pulling movements

The severity of a shoulder separation can vary considerably.

How Can Physiotherapy Help?

Once the injury has been appropriately assessed, physiotherapy can help restore shoulder movement and strength.

Rehabilitation may include:

• Gentle range-of-motion exercises

• Rotator cuff strengthening

• Shoulder blade strengthening

• Upper-body strength exercises

• Gradual return to contact and hockey-specific activities

The timing of return to hockey depends on the severity of the injury, symptoms, strength, and ability to safely tolerate contact.

4. ACL Tears

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the major ligaments inside the knee. It helps provide stability, particularly during movements involving cutting, pivoting, and sudden changes in direction.

Hockey players can injure their ACL during:

• Sudden changes in direction

• Awkward landings

• Twisting movements

• Losing an edge while skating

• Contact with another player

  
  

What Does an ACL Injury Feel Like?

Some players report hearing or feeling a "pop" at the time of injury. Other symptoms can include:

• Knee swelling

• Pain

• Difficulty putting weight on the leg

• A feeling that the knee is unstable

• Difficulty bending or straightening the knee

An ACL injury requires proper medical assessment. Some ACL injuries are treated without surgery, while others may require ACL reconstruction depending on the individual and their goals.

Physiotherapy After ACL Reconstruction

Physiotherapy is an important part of recovery following ACL surgery.

Rehabilitation typically progresses through several stages, focusing on:

Early recovery: Reducing swelling, restoring knee movement, and regaining basic muscle activation.

Strength development: Building strength in the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and surrounding muscles.

Movement control: Improving balance, coordination, landing mechanics, and control during single-leg movements.

Sport-specific training: Gradually introducing running, jumping, cutting, skating, and hockey-specific drills.

Return-to-sport testing: Assessing strength, power, balance, movement quality, and other factors before returning to hockey.

Returning to hockey should be based on more than simply how long it has been since surgery. The athlete should demonstrate that their knee and overall physical performance are ready for the demands of the sport.

Why Is Physiotherapy Important for Hockey Injuries?

One of the biggest mistakes athletes can make is returning to hockey as soon as the pain improves.

Pain is only one part of recovery.

A player may feel better but still have weaknesses, mobility restrictions, or poor movement control that could affect their ability to safely perform on the ice.

Physiotherapy can help address these factors by assessing:

• Strength

• Mobility

• Balance

• Coordination

• Stability

• Power

• Movement patterns

• Sport-specific abilities

Your rehabilitation should also progress toward the actual demands of hockey. Being able to perform an exercise in the clinic doesn't necessarily mean you're ready to skate, cut, battle for the puck, or absorb contact.

How Can Hockey Players Reduce Their Injury Risk?

While not every hockey injury can be prevented, players can take steps to improve their physical preparation.

Strength Train Regularly

Building strength in the legs, hips, core, and upper body can help prepare your body for the demands of hockey.

Don't Skip Your Warm-Up

A proper warm-up can prepare your body for skating, sprinting, cutting, and contact.

A hockey warm-up should gradually increase intensity and include dynamic movements that prepare the muscles and joints for the activities ahead.

Address Small Problems Early

Persistent groin, hip, knee, or shoulder pain shouldn't necessarily be considered "part of hockey."

Getting an injury assessed early may help prevent a minor problem from becoming a bigger one.

Gradually Increase Training Load

Suddenly increasing the number of practices, games, workouts, or off-ice training sessions can place additional stress on the body.

Giving your body time to adapt is an important part of injury prevention.

When Should a Hockey Player See a Physiotherapist?

Consider seeing a physiotherapist if you have:

• Persistent groin or hip pain

• Knee pain or instability

• Shoulder pain following a hit or fall

• Recurrent injuries

• Pain that is affecting your skating

• Difficulty returning to your previous level of play

• Weakness after an injury

• Concerns about returning to hockey after surgery

A physiotherapist can help determine what's contributing to your symptoms and create a rehabilitation program based on your specific sport, position, age, and goals.

Get Back on the Ice With Confidence

Hockey injuries can be frustrating, especially when they keep you away from practices, games, and teammates. The right rehabilitation program can help you rebuild strength, restore movement, and gradually prepare your body for the demands of hockey.

Whether you're dealing with a groin strain, hip labral injury, shoulder separation, ACL tear, or another hockey-related injury, physiotherapy can be an important part of your recovery.

At Physical Edge Physiotherapy in Oakville, Ontario, we help hockey players recover from injuries and work toward a safe and confident return to the ice.

Don't let an injury keep you off the ice. Book a physiotherapy assessment and start working toward your return to hockey.