Investigating strength and range of motion of the hip complex in ice hockey athletes

Wilcox, Christopher R. J.; Osgood, Chad T.; White, Hollie S. F.; Vince, Rebecca V.

Abstract

CONTEXT: Ice hockey athletes frequently injure the hip complex via a non-contact mechanism. We investigated patterns of strength and range of motion (ROM) to establish major differences compared to soccer athletes. Soccer athletes were compared to ice hockey athletes due to similarities between the two sports with regards to the intermittent nature and high number of lower limb injuries. OBJECTIVE: To compare the differences in ROM and strength of the hip for both the dominant (Dom) and non-dominant (Ndom) limb in ice hockey and soccer athletes. DESIGN: Case control study. SETTING: Bilateral ROM in hip flexion in sitting (FS) and lying (FL), extension, abduction, adduction, and internal rotation (IR) and external rotation (ER) was measured using a goniometer and assessed for strength using a hand held dynamometer on both the Dom and Ndom limbs. Participants. Twenty four male, active, uninjured NCAA division III ice hockey (16) and soccer (8) athletes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: ROM and strength for hip FS, FL extension, abduction, adduction, IR and ER. A mixed model ANOVA was used to investigate interactions and main effects. RESULTS: Ice hockey athletes exhibited greater hip adduction ROM compared to soccer athletes in the Dom leg (both p=0.002) and when both limbs were combined (p = 0.010). Ice hockey athletes had less ROM in ER (p = 0.042) than soccer athletes. Ice hockey athletes displayed less strength in adduction in their Ndom leg compared to their Dom leg (p=0.02) along with less adduction than soccer players in their Ndom leg (p=0.40). Ice hockey athletes displayed less strength in hip adduction (p=0.030), FS (p=0.023) and FL (p=0.030) than soccer athletes. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that ice hockey athletes may present an 'at risk' profile for non-contact hip injuries, in comparison with soccer athletes with regards to strength and ROM of the hip.

Citation

Wilcox, C. R. J., Osgood, C. T., White, H. S. F., & Vince, R. V. (2015). Investigating strength and range of motion of the hip complex in ice hockey athletes. Journal of sport rehabilitation, 24(3), 300-306. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsr.2014-0175

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 6, 2015
• Publication Date: 2015-08
• Deposit Date: Jun 2, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 12, 2022
• Journal: Journal of sport rehabilitation
• Print ISSN: 1056-6716
• Publisher: Human Kinetics
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 24
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 300-306
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1123/jsr.2014-0175
• Keywords: Hip injury; Soccer; Dominant; Nondominant; Noncontact
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/374624
• Publisher URL: http://journals.humankinetics.com/jsr-back-issues/jsr-volume-24-issue-3-august/investigating-strength-and-range-of-motion-of-the-hip-complex-in-ice-hockey-athletes
• Contract Date: Jun 2, 2015