Open AccessHead impacts in youth national hockey leagues in Slovakia: a retrospective analysis of four seasons
Author(s) -
Marek Majdán,
Igor Tóth,
Patrik Barila,
Pavol Peráček,
Janka Peráčková,
Silvio Parničan,
Martin Cente,
Peter Filipčík
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
general physiology and biophysics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.376
H-Index - 39
eISSN - 1338-4325
pISSN - 0231-5882
DOI - 10.4149/gpb_2021041
Subject(s) - league , ice hockey , incidence (geometry) , demography , geography , medicine , environmental health , physical medicine and rehabilitation , mathematics , sociology , physics , geometry , astronomy
Traumatic brain injury in contact sports can lead to serious health consequences either immediately or later in the life of injured subjects. The objective of this study was to estimate the incidence of head impacts in the Under 18 (U18) and Under 20 (U20) junior ice-hockey leagues in Slovakia over the seasons 2013/2014-2016/2017 using data from official game statistics. Incidence risks (IR) per 1000 athlete exposures were calculated for the season and stratified by a period of the game, by month, round, and part of the season. IR of head impacts ranged from 2.09 (95%CI: 2.07-2.12) to 2.89 (95%CI: 2.87-2.92) in the U18 league and from 2.14 (95%CI: 2.12-2.17) to 4.06 (95%CI: 4.02-4.09) in the U20. Higher IR was observed in the latter periods of games. This study brings first data on the incidence of concussions in youth ice-hockey leagues in Slovakia and calls for immediate implementation of measures to prevent these injuries.