Hockey Canada's Checking Rule Change Backfires

As the debate rages around USA Hockey's proposed rule change to delay bodychecking until Bantams, Hockey Canada is seeing the results of a move in the other direction.  In yesterday's Vancouver Sun, an article features the release of a study following a rule change that allowed checking at their equivalent of Squirt (9 and 10 years old) in Canada.  The rule change was made in the 1998-99 season.

The study by the staff at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, led by neurosurgeon Dr. Michael Cusimano, found that players in the 9-10 year old age group were ten times more likely to go to an emergency room with a concussion following the change.

 From the article:

"Our work confirmed the fact that bodychecking is the most common cause of injury in hockey," said Cusimano.

"While proponents argue lowering the age for bodychecking helps players learn how to properly bodycheck and reduces injuries at older ages, our study clearly showed the opposite — the risk of all injuries and especially, brain injuries, increases with exposure to bodychecking."

Also, some numbers from the study:

The study concluded that the rate of head injuries for all players between the ages of six and 17 increased by 26 per cent following the rule change.

The results were most noticeable in Atom leagues, where the number of recorded bodychecking-related concussions jumped from four in the four seasons before 1998 to 22 in the five following.

"While all age groups showed increases in injuries, the youngest were the most vulnerable and that bodychecking puts youth unnecessarily at the risk of the long-term effects of brain injuries, such as cognitive and social-behavioural problems," said Cusimano.

In older age groups, Cusimano noted an increase in concussions as well, with Bantam players (13- and 14-year-olds) more than twice as likely to get a concussion and Midget players (ages 15 and 16) 31 per cent more likely.

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