Physical Therapy & Ice Sports

According to the Monash University's Accident Research Centre, in a three-year period, the most common ice sport injuries were caused by ice skating. Most injuries were caused by falls, with the lower body being most frequently injured. To help recover from or avoid future injuries, participants in ice sports might require physical therapy.

Physical Therapist Training

• The Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education requires physical therapists to complete a post-baccalaureate degree program. Masters degree programs take between two and two and a half years to completed and doctoral programs take three years to complete. The coursework a physical therapist completes includes biology, anatomy, physiology and biomechanics. All states regulate the practice of physical therapy and require individuals to pass a National Physical Therapy Examination.

Ice Hockey

• The majority of injuries in this high-speed game are due to the hits. Common ice hockey injuries include knee injuries and separated shoulders. Getting correct treatment immediately following an injury will help minimize recovery time. Physical therapy treatments for these injuries begin with controlling the pain and swelling through ice and electrical stimulation. Once the pain and swelling has subsided, physical therapists will work on range-of-motion exercises, active stretching and strengthening the shoulder and knee muscles. According to the Stretching Handbook, the top stretches for ice hockey players include the reaching lateral side stretch and the kneeling heel-down Achilles stretch.

Curling

• Common injuries for individuals who participate in curling include shoulder, knee and back pain. These injuries occur because of the constant sweeping motion that the curler must make. This motion involves repetitive use of upper limbs and sustained knee and back flexion. Other curling injuries occur when an individual delivers the stone down the ice. To properly do this without injury, an individual requires mobility and flexibility in the hips, shoulders and upper back. In physical therapy, individuals will be taught particular stretches that can help increase flexibility in these body parts. A good stretch for curlers would be the rotator cuff stretch or the shoulder reach stretch to help increase range of motion of the shoulder.

Figure Skating

• Ice skates, often referred to as boots, have proven to be the cause of many figure skating-related injuries. According to U.S. Figure Skating, the boots cause overuse injuries such as tendinitis, stress fractures and kinetic chain injuries such as knee pain, hip pain and shin splits. To help alleviate these injuries or prevent them altogether, figure skaters can benefit from a physical therapist, specifically through stretching and strengthening. A physical therapist will guide a skater on how to increase her range of motion and will help loosen the joint to promote better stretching. Another common figure skating injury is chronic knee pain. According to the Wisconsin Medical Society, skaters with this injury would benefit from physical therapy, which could help reduce any swelling, pain and stretching of the knee. A good stretch that a physical therapist can show a skater that will help stretch the hips, hamstrings, calves and increase knee bend is the calf complex.

Speed Skating

• According to a publication in American Journal of Sports Medicine, the most common short track speed skating injuries affect the knee, ankle, spine, leg and groin. One of the most common injuries is due to the excessive inward roll of the foot and ankle when repetitively going around a speed track. This overuse can lead to degeneration to the tibialis posterior muscle. The tibialis posterior muscle attaches to the tibia and fibula and helps to stabilize the muscles of the lower leg. Physical therapists can assist athletes with this injury by teaching them better stretching techniques and aid in strengthening the damaged area without causing further damage.