Skating Smart: Essential Tips for Hockey Injury Prevention

Have a Proper Warm-Up and Cool-Down

Skipping a warm-up before hitting the ice can increase your chances of injury. Even if you don’t feel like you need it, a proper warm-up supplies your muscles with oxygen and prepares both your circulatory and respiratory systems for exercise. Cold muscles may be more active (since they are trying to warm up), but they will be slower and weaker than warm muscles.

When warming up, be cautious about how you stretch before your game or practice. Static stretching (holding stretches while still) can sometimes do more harm than good. If you plan to stretch, aim for dynamic stretches that keep your body moving, particularly movements that can activate the muscles you’ll be using on the ice. Start your warm-up with slow, low-intensity movements and gradually increase the pace over about 10 minutes.

Flexibility and Mobility

Improving your flexibility and mobility is essential for reducing the risk of strains and sprains that can occur when muscles or joints are pushed beyond their limits. Your muscles are constantly required to stretch and extend in this way when playing hockey, and if your body isn’t prepared, you’re at a greater risk for injury. Enhancing your flexibility will make your muscles more efficient and reactions quick and effortless.

The obvious strategy for improving flexibility is to stretch—but having a proper warm-up beforehand and starting off slow is still crucial, especially to avoid injury from stretching too quickly or intensely while your muscles are still cold (for more on warming up, see the previous section). Again, try to keep your stretches dynamic.

Goalies should prioritize flexibility, with a strong focus on the hip and groin areas. Due to the nature of the position, these regions are often placed under heavy strain in-game, so consistent stretching is crucial for injury prevention in goaltenders.

Rehab and Recovery

Strength and conditioning don’t just improve performance; improvement in this area also helps with injury prevention and recovery. After an injury, muscles around the area often become weakened due to trauma, muscle failure, or lack of use. Strengthening these muscles is a primary focus in most rehabilitation programs.

The extra support from stronger muscles can help stabilize the joints as both an initial recovery phase and a long-term preventative measure. In addition to reinforcing weakened areas, a well-rounded strength and conditioning program can also speed up the recovery process.

Hydration

What we put into our bodies has a direct impact on how we will feel and perform on the ice. For muscles and joints to function well and efficiently, they will require proper hydration. Conversely, lacking in water can make movements more difficult; dehydration can leave your muscles stiff and joints less flexible.

In addition to physical performance, you need to hydrate and eat adequately to keep your head in the game—that extends to both focus and mood. Irritability and lack of concentration can cause us to make poor decisions on the ice. Simply put, if your mind isn’t sharp, you won’t be as effective while playing and your body will be more vulnerable.

Nutrition

Of course, eating the right foods is equally as important. Poor nutrition can lead to deficiencies in the vitamins and minerals critical for bone and muscle health, such as calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D. You need these nutrients if you want to maintain strong bones and healthy muscle function. Vitamin D in particular plays a key role in bone metabolism, but it’s harder to get during the winter months when hockey is played due to the reduced sunlight. A deficiency in vitamin D can weaken bones, making them more prone to fractures.

Helmets and Head Injuries

Head injuries are prevalent in contact sports—and that includes hockey. One of the most frequent head injuries that players may face are concussions. In simple terms, a concussion occurs when an impact causes your brain to shift inside your skull. The resulting damage can lead to a range of symptoms, including physical issues like headaches and dizziness, cognitive difficulties such as memory loss and trouble concentrating, and emotional changes like depression.

Do note that  there is no foolproof way to prevent concussions completely, but you can mitigate your risk. Helmets are a crucial piece of equipment, and it’s even more important that you make sure it fits properly. Ensure your helmet is snug and secure for optimal protection. A helmet that fits well will help protect you from other head injuries and can still lower your risk for concussions. An ill-fitting helmet (one that moves and shifts around your head, or where the facemask does not fit properly over your face) can actually increase your chances for head injury, and that includes concussions.

Look into "Optional" Gear

There are other pieces of gear—often characterized as "optional" depending on your level or league—that can help protect you from injury. For example, mouthguards are considered optional in some youth leagues in Canada. While mouthguards won’t fully prevent concussions, they can reduce the risk of dental injuries. 

Note that as of August 2024, neck guards are mandatory in US minor hockey and officials of minor age.

Face shields are another important consideration. Depending on your league, they may be required or highly recommended, and electing to use a full cage will always be the safest option. Some players may prefer half-shields for better visibility or comfort, but your risk for facial injuries—including broken teeth, fractured bones, and cuts—increases significantly. If you are looking for something protective that can give you the same visibility as a half visor, it may be a good idea to look at full visors, often known colloquially as “bubble” or “fish bowl” masks.

Sharpen Your Skates!

Skating is all about balancing while constantly off balance, and dull skates can completely throw off your stability, making sharp turns or sudden stops even more unpredictable. If your skates are missing an edge or aren’t even, then you’ll be more likely to wipe out. Always keep an extra pair of skate blades/runners and a sharpening stone in your bag—and know how to use them. If your edge is gone or one of your skate blades breaks, skating becomes much riskier, especially since every bit of how your feet connect with the ice matters during turns, stops, and starts.

Ensuring good technique and balance on the ice is important for staying safe. Carrie Keil, a skating coach for USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program, points out that many beginner injuries stem from poor balance. Those who skate in an overly upright position with straight legs are more susceptible to falling and hurting themselves.

Understanding the physics of skating can significantly lower your risk of injury—for starters, skating with bent knees and proper posture will give you better control and balance. Confidence in your abilities also plays a key role; Constantly watching the puck while stickhandling or shooting will restrict your field of vision and awareness of nearby players and obstacles.

In addition, knowing how to check safely—whether that be giving or receiving a check—will minimize the impact. Learn how to brace for and absorb hits and recognize when they come in, as doing so can greatly reduce your risk of serious injury.

Be Aware of Your Surroundings

As your stickhandling skills improve, you will need to start getting comfortable looking up and away from the puck so you can remain alert to the play. Doing so can help you avoid collisions with the boards, the net, and other players. 

Checks, whether intentional or accidental, are a part of hockey. Even if you aren’t playing in a full-contact league, it’s always safer to assume that someone could check you harder than expected. Learning how to take a check prepares you for these moments. Although your opponent may be the one at fault for hitting you too hard, you’re the one who risks getting hurt if you’re not prepared.

That said, some things on the ice can’t be predicted or braced for safely, such as overly aggressive players or dangerous use of sticks. The best approach is to stay aware and make mental notes of players who are acting recklessly. Keeping an eye on potentially dangerous situations can help you protect yourself from even avoid them altogether.

Crosstraining: Don't Just Play Hockey

Hockey is a full-body sport, requiring strength, agility, and endurance, but it doesn't work every muscle group evenly. Focusing solely on hockey can lead to overuse of specific muscle groups. Over time, this can cause muscle fatigue and make you more vulnerable to strains or sprains.

This works the same way with every sport; it’s a good idea to incorporate other forms of exercise or other sports into your routine, so you can balance out your muscle use and improve your overall strength and flexibility. Swimming, cycling, baseball, etc. are some sports that work similar movements to hockey but can also help you activate other muscles.