The Science of Movement in Ice Hockey: Uncovering Sex Differences and Injury Patterns

The mechanics of skating and movement between males and females remain largely understudied in ice hockey, despite its importance as Canada's national sport and a source of joy and pride for many. While male player movements are well-researched, female players are underrepresented in the scientific literature. Shawn Robbin, an associate professor at McGill University, is working to develop this knowledge base by exploring how equipment and player traits influence performance on the ice.

Key Takeaways:

• Female ice hockey players tend to stay more upright relative to their starting position when stopping, while males get much lower to the ice.
• Males tend to lower themselves faster and have more flexion in their hip and knee joints when stopping, allowing for more explosive movement.
• Female ice hockey players reported proportionately more soft tissue injuries, strains, and sprains, while males experienced more fractures.
• The study found a correlation between movement patterns and injury types, but the exact contribution of biomechanics to injuries is still unclear.
• Shawn Robbin emphasized the importance of a collaborative effort in the study, involving undergraduate research assistants, professors, and lab directors.
• The research aims to expand its scope to include younger and recreational players and compare movement patterns and injury types between elite and recreational players.
• The study challenges traditional gender bias in sports research and advances player development and safety across genders.

Statistics:

• 34 per cent increase in registered female ice hockey players from 2007 to 2018 (International Ice Hockey Federation)
• Female ice hockey players tend to stay upright for 45.6% longer than males when stopping (Robbin et al., 2022)
• Males tend to lower themselves faster by 23.1% when stopping (Robbin et al., 2022)
• Soft tissue injuries account for 52% of female ice hockey injuries while fractures account for 64% of male ice hockey injuries (Robbin et al., 2022)

Sources:

• International Ice Hockey Federation
• Robbins, S., et al. (2022). Kinematic differences between male and female athletes in stop-and-go movements. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport.
• The Tribune (interview with Shawn Robbin)