An examination into factors that impact hip and groin pain in ice hockey players

Ice hockey is a demanding sport that requires high degrees of flexibility, strength, and neuromuscular control. Ice hockey players are at an elevated risk of hip and groin injuries. Thus, it is important that clinicians understand factors that may influence hip and groin pain in this population. The purpose of this study is to explore the factors of strength, pain, special tests, and symptoms of the hip and groin in male ice hockey players based on age and position. We utilized a cross-sectional study design to collect Copenhagen Hip and Groin Outcome Score (HAGOS), the Visual Analog Pain Scale (VAS), and the Unilateral Hip Bridge Endurance (UHBE) test in male ice hockey athletes. A series of one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) with descriptive statistics and effect size analysis were conducted to determine if there were group differences in the collected variables. Twenty participants (age 19.1 ± 0.8 years), comprising 3 Goaltenders, 6 defensemen, and 11 forwards, were included. The results showed no significant group differences between position, HAGOS scores, VAS score, and UHBE test scores, yet there were several large to very large effect sizes, which indicate large differences between positions. The large to very large effect sizes may still have clinically meaningful interpretations. Clinicians should continue to monitor factors that influence hip and groin pain as preventative and rehabilitative measures in ice hockey athletes. Future longitudinal studies with larger samples may be essential to understand these trends and improve the causes of hip and groin pain in this population.