Hockey Season Is Here: How To Stay On The Ice And Out Of Pain
In Grand Rapids, hockey is more than a sport. It is part of who we are. Our town has produced NHL players like Alex Goligoski and Jon Casey, longtime University of Minnesota coach Don Lucia, and Bill Baker, a member of the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” U.S. Olympic team. Just down the road in Coleraine, the Greenway Raiders have a proud hockey tradition of their own, producing NHL players like Stanley Cup champion Mike Peluso and Mike Antonovich. Grand Rapids and Greenway even team up on the girls’ side as the GRG Lightning. That tradition is still going strong, with youth hockey, high school teams, and adult leagues filling local rinks all winter, plus outdoor rinks and frozen lakes all over Itasca County once the cold sets in.
We see that love for the game in our office every season. Skating hard, taking hits, and spending hours in a crouched stride puts a unique kind of stress on the body, and every winter the same handful of hockey injuries walk through our door.
Here is what to watch for, how to prevent it, and what to do when something starts to hurt.
The Most Common Hockey Injuries We See
Hip flexor and groin strains. The skating stride depends on powerful hip and groin muscles. When they are tight or tired, they strain easily, especially early in the season before players are in game shape.
Low back pain. Hockey players spend most of their ice time bent forward at the hips. Over time, that posture tightens the hips and overloads the muscles and joints of the low back.
Neck and shoulder injuries. Checks, falls, and collisions with the boards can jolt the neck and shoulders. Even minor hits can leave muscles guarded and joints stiff for days.
Wrist and forearm pain. Shooting, stickhandling, and taking faceoffs work the forearm tendons hard, which can lead to tendon irritation similar to tennis elbow.
Skate bite and ankle problems. Pressure from stiff skates and repetitive pushing can irritate the tendons on the front of the ankle and the Achilles tendon.
Simple Ways To Prevent Injury
- Warm up off the ice. Five to ten minutes of leg swings, walking lunges, and hip circles gets blood flowing before you lace up.
- Stretch your hip flexors daily. A simple kneeling lunge stretch, held for 30 seconds per side, counters all that time spent crouched.
- Build your core. Planks and side planks protect your back and give you a more stable stride. Learn more about how your core protects your spine.
- Ease into the season. Ramp up ice time over a few weeks instead of going full speed on day one.
- Make sure your skates fit. Poorly fitting skates change how you push off and can cause ankle, knee, and hip problems up the chain.
How We Help Hockey Players Recover
At Davis Chiropractic Health & Wellness, P.A., we treat the whole athlete, not just the sore spot. Depending on your injury, your care may include:
- Chiropractic adjustments to restore motion in the spine, hips, and joints after hits and falls
- Graston Technique® and Active Release Techniques® (ART®) with Dr. John Joki, who is certified in both, to break up muscle adhesions in tight hip flexors, groins, forearms, and shoulders
- Laser therapy to support tissue healing
- Massage therapy to speed recovery between games
- Kinesiology and sports taping for support when you get back on the ice
Our goal is to get you back to playing quickly and keep the same injury from coming back. Learn more on our Sports Chiropractic page.
Don’t Play Through It
A little soreness after a hard game is normal. Pain that lingers more than a few days, keeps coming back, or changes how you skate is your body asking for help. Getting it checked early usually means a faster recovery and less time off the ice.
Whether you’re a mite just learning to skate, a high school player, a hockey parent spending your weekends at the rink, or a weekend warrior in the men’s league, we’re proud to be part of the Grand Rapids hockey community. We’d love to help you stay healthy and have your best season yet. Call (218) 326-1804 or book online.