Prospective trial shows eliminating body checking significantly reduces injuries and concussions in adolescent hockey

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A study by Carolyn A. Emery et al. published in British Journal of Sports Medicine found that injury rates were 61% lower and concussion rates 51% lower in non-elite adolescent hockey leagues that did not permit body-checking than leagues that did. 

The researchers recruited hockey players aged 15-17 in leagues that did or did not prohibit body checking in Alberta and British Columbia, Canada between 2015 and 2018. They surveilled games and tracked injuries in players from 44 teams in non-body checking leagues and 52 teams in body-checking leagues. “In body checking leagues there were 213 injuries (69 concussions) and in non-body checking leagues 40 injuries (18 concussions) during games.” The authors highlight the potential public health benefit of banning body-checking in youth hockey. They estimate that this policy would translate to the prevention of 7,326 injuries annually in Canada alone.