Epidemiology of Foot and Ankle Injuries in National Collegiate Athletic Association Men’s and Women’s Ice Hockey

BACKGROUND: Ice hockey is a high-speed contact sport in which athletes are prone to many different injuries. While past studies have examined overall injury rates in ice hockey, foot and ankle injuries among collegiate ice hockey players have yet to be analyzed. PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the epidemiology of foot and ankle injuries among collegiate ice hockey players utilizing data from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Injury Surveillance Program. We hypothesized that male ice hockey players would sustain more injuries compared with female ice hockey players and that the injuries sustained would be more severe. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiology study. METHODS: Data on all foot and ankle injuries sustained during the academic years 2004 through 2014 were obtained from the NCAA Injury Surveillance Program. Injury rates, rate ratios (RRs), and injury proportion ratios were reported with 95% CIs. RESULTS: Over the study period, the overall rate of foot and ankle injuries for men was higher than that for women (413 vs 103 injuries, respectively; RR, 4.01 [95% CI, 3.23-4.97]). Injury rates were highest during the regular season for both men (358 injuries; RR, 64.78 [95% CI, 58.07-71.49]) and women (89 injuries; RR, 38.37 [95% CI, 30.40-46.35]) compared with the preseason or postseason. The most common injury in men was a foot and/or toe contusion (22.5%), while women most commonly sustained a low ankle sprain (31.1%). For men, foot and/or toe contusions accounted for the most non–time loss (≤24 hours ) and moderate time-loss (2-13 days) injuries, while high ankle sprains accounted for the most severe time-loss (≥14 days) injuries. For women, foot and/or toe contusions accounted for the most non–time loss injuries, low ankle sprains accounted for the most moderate time-loss injuries, and high ankle sprains accounted for the most severe time-loss injuries. CONCLUSION: Foot and ankle injuries were frequent among collegiate ice hockey players during the period studied. For men, contusions were the most commonly diagnosed injury, although high ankle sprains resulted in the most significant time lost. For women, low ankle sprains were the most common and resulted in the most moderate time lost. These findings may direct future injury prevention and guide improvements in ice skate design.