TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2021//
TI  - Body checking in non-elite adolescent ice hockey leagues: it is never too late for policy change aiming to protect the health of adolescents
JO  - British journal of sports medicine
A1  - Emery, Carolyn A.
A1  - Eliason, Paul
A1  - Warriyar, Vineetha
A1  - Palacios-Derflingher, Luz
A1  - Black, Amanda Marie
A1  - Krolikowski, Maciek
A1  - Spencer, Nicole
A1  - Sick, Stacy
A1  - Kozak, Stacy
A1  - Schneider, Kathryn J.
A1  - Babul, Shelina
A1  - Mrazik, Martin
A1  - Lebrun, Constance
A1  - Goulet, Claude
A1  - Macpherson, Alison
A1  - Hagel, Brent E.
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of policy change disallowing body checking in adolescent ice hockey leagues (ages 15-17) on reducing rates of injury and concussion. <br><br>METHODS: This is a prospective cohort study. Players 15-17 years-old were recruited from teams in non-elite divisions of play (lower 40%-70% by division of play depending on year and city of play in leagues where policy permits or prohibit body checking in Alberta and British Columbia, Canada (2015-18). A validated injury surveillance methodology supported baseline, exposure-hours and injury data collection. Any player with a suspected concussion was referred to a study physician. Primary outcomes include game-related injuries, game-related injuries (>7 days time loss), game-related concussions and game-related concussions (>10 days time loss). <br><br>RESULTS: 44 teams (453 player-seasons) from non-body checking and 52 teams (674 player-seasons) from body checking leagues participated. In body checking leagues there were 213 injuries (69 concussions) and in non-body checking leagues 40 injuries (18 concussions) during games. Based on multiple multilevel mixed-effects Poisson regression analyses, policy prohibiting body checking was associated with a lower rate of injury (incidence rate ratio (IRR): 0.38 (95% CI 0.24 to 0.6)) and concussion (IRR: 0.49; 95% CI 0.26 to 0.89). This translates to an absolute rate reduction of 7.82 injuries/1000 game-hours (95% CI 2.74 to 12.9) and the prevention of 7326 injuries (95% CI 2570 to 12083) in Canada annually. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: The rate of injury was 62% lower (concussion 51% lower) in leagues not permitting body checking in non-elite 15-17 years old leagues highlighting the potential public health impact of policy prohibiting body checking in older adolescent ice hockey players.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0306-3674
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2020-103757
ID  - ref1
ER  -