Implication of introducing body checking in ice hockey at different ages

by Wiggins, Wade

The main purpose of+&s research was to compare the rate ofbody chezking injuries between two Provinces that introduce body checking at Werent ages (age 12 versus 14). Three teams fiom Ontario (body checking introduced at age 12) and three teams nom Quebec (body checkhg introduced at age 14) were used in each ofthe 10 and 1 1, 12 and 13, and 14 and 15 year old Ievels. A total simple of 294 players were hvolved in the study for one fidi hockey seeson, fiom August of 1993 to Apd of 1994. A cornparison ofthe Merent aga led to the conclusion tbatwhenmer body checkhg is introduced, it si@- hcreases the rate of injury per piayer. A cornparison betweena tepresartative samp1e ofplayers in Ontano and Qu&x for the increase in injury rates did not result in statisticalsigpincanw and therefore it can be conduded that introduCmgbody checking at the 12 and 13 , or the 14 and 15 year old age ievel does ciiffies stahtically. It was fomd that those who were injuredhm checkhg demo~l~trated a signifidy lower bodyweight. Based on the bdings of this study, the maj~rity ofbody checking injuries are bruises which resuit in a considerabie amount ofpain and discornfort to the injurecipiayer, but do not generally keep the piayer out of game action