INJURIES ASSOCIATGE3D WITH

CHIRPP

Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program

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INJURIES ASSOCIATED WITH ICE HOCKEY
FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
CHIRPP Database, for the years 1998-2002 in all ages

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WHAT IS CHIRPP:

CHIRPP is a computerized information system that collects and analyzes data on injuries to people (mainly children) who are seen at the emergency department of ten pediatric and five general hospitals in Canada. Data collection began in April 1990 at the pediatric hospitals and between 1991 and 1994 in the general hospitals. CHIRPP is a program of the Injury and Child Maltreatment Section, Health Surveillance and Epidemiology Division of Health Canada. See the last section for suggested reference and reporting information on CHIRPP data.

LIMITATIONS OF CHIRPP DATA:

This report is based on information from British Columbia’s CHIRPP Database. It is important to note that the injuries described herein do NOT represent all injuries in British Columbia ----- only those seen at the emergency department of British Columbia Children’s Hospital. It should be noted that the following groups are under-represented in terms of injuries suffered: older teenagers seen at general hospitals, native people, and people living in rural areas. Fatal injuries are also under-represented unless they died in the emergency department.

SUMMARY:

Five hundred, seventy-four ice hockey injuries were sustained; most frequently among the 10 to 14 year age group (65%). Injuries to males were more prevalent (96%). The majority of patients (39%) required advice only. The most frequent nature of injury was superficial (36%), the body part most commonly affected was the knee (17%). After superficial injuries, fractures were the next most common injury (24%) and the body part injured was the forearm (24%). The activity involved was organized sports (90%) and the mechanism was contact with a still object (58%). Helmet use was reported in 75% of the cases.

SPECIFICATIONS OF THE SEARCH:

In November 2004, a search of the BC CHIRPP database (97,118 records) for the years 1998 to 2002 was conducted. There was no age restriction. Records were selected if they contained the factor code for ice hockey (1118). Records were eliminated if they were not actually playing ice hockey. The total number of records selected was 574.

INJURIES IN DATABASE:

AGE AND SEX DISTRIBUTION:

LOCATION (WHERE INJURY OCCURRED)

Location	Number	Total	Percent

Stadium/Arena		439	76%
Rink	438
Unspecified	1

Unspecified		67	12%
Rink	53
Unspecified	14

Snow/ice based sport facility		39	7%
Rink	38
Unspecified	1

Community Centre		15	3%
Rink	13
Unspecified	2

Public Park		6	1%
Rink	5
Unspecified	1

School		4	1%
Unspecified	2
Rink	2

Other place		4	1%

Total		574	100%

NATURE OF FIRST INJURY AND BODY PART INJURED¹

Nature of injury	Number	Total	Percent
Superficial		204	36%
Knee	34
Neck	26
Shoulder	19
Elbow	17
Thorax	14
Wrist	14
Finger	11
Foot	10
Forearm	10
Face	8
Lower back	6
Ankle	6
Upper back	6
Hand	4
Hip	4
Lower leg	4
Clavicle	3
Head	3
Thigh	2
Upper arm	2
Pelvis	1

Fracture		137	24%
Forearm	33
Clavicle	28
Wrist	16
Hand	13
Finger	11
Lower leg	10
Ankle	7
Elbow	6
Thigh	4
Knee	4
Upper arm	3
Face	1
Foot	1

Head Injury		89	16%
Minor	51
Concussion	38

Sprain/Strain		55	10%
Knee	13
Neck	13
Ankle	11
Lower back	5
Shoulder	3
Wrist	3
Elbow	1
Finger	1
Foot	1
Pelvis	1
Thigh	1
Thorax	1
Upper Arm	1

Open wound		38	7%
Face	27
Finger	5
Forearm	2
Hand	1
Head	1
Lower leg	1
Wrist	1

Soft tissue injury		12	2%
Knee	2
Shoulder	2
Abdomen	1
Elbow	1
Face	1
Finger	1
Foot	1
Hip	1
Neck	1
Spine/spinal cord	1

Dislocation		10	2%
Shoulder	8
Knee	2

Other		10	2%

Injury to muscle/tendon		8	1%
Shoulder	3
Thigh	3
Hand	1
Lower leg	1


Internal organ injury		6	1%
Abdomen	5
Thorax	1

Dental		5	1%

Total		574	100%

¹Up to three injuries and body parts can be entered per record; only the most severe injury is indicated in the above table.

SAFETY DEVICE IN USE¹:

¹Up to three safety devices can be entered per record; only the first one is indicated in the above table.

TREATMENT RECEIVED IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT:

MECHANISM:

SUGGESTED REFERENCE AND REPORTING INFORMATION:

This report and data from it may be copied and circulated freely, provided that the source is acknowledged. The following citation is recommended:

Injury data obtained from the database of the British Columbia Children’s Hospital, Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program (CHIRPP), Health Canada.