Hockey is a rough and fast-moving game, and injuries are a common occurrence on the ice. Players may suffer from a variety of injuries, including shoulder injuries, concussions, and herniated discs.
“Disc injuries are very common, especially in contact sports such as hockey,” says Behnad Honarbakhsh, a physiotherapist and HealthChoicesFirst.com partner. “It's really important for people to realize that when disc injuries are non traumatic, they don't happen overnight, so things cook and it's usually due to severe imbalances in the body.”
Herniated Disc Symptoms
Discs sit between the bones in each vertebrae and provide cushioning for the spine. If the hip and abdominal muscles aren't functioning properly, the back can suffer from the extra pressure. The result is often a herniated disc.
“You've got your nerves coming out between each segment of your spine, and when the liquid inside that disc comes out is when you get herniation. When it presses on the nerve that's when you get severe, sharp shooting pain that can refer down the leg, and sometimes people have tingling and numbness associated with it,” says Honarbakhsh.
Herniated Disc Treatments
It's important to get to a qualified physiotherapist for proper assessment right away if you suspect you have a herniated disc, as these injuries can be severe enough that you may need treatment at a hospital. If the herniation is pressing on the spinal cord, you will experience much more severe changes, results and sensations in your body. It's essential that players with this type of hockey injury don't push themselves to continue playing.
“A physiotherapist needs to determine the severity of the hockey injury,” says Honarbakhsh. “And, to make sure that the predisposing factors are taken care of to have you on the right track to optimal recovery.”
Learn more about hockey injury treatment.