Local doctor studies concussions in youth hockey

January 15, 2016 6:16 pm

By: Rebecca Turco
Email: rturco@abc6.com

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Providence doctor so concerned about his teenaged patients suffering concussions from ice hockey injuries launched a study about it.

The Hasbro Children’s Hospital study, led by Dr. Peter Kriz, shows that younger teens took an average 40 percent longer to recover from concussions than their peers past puberty. "I would caution a younger, less physically mature kid to go up against an 18 or 19 year-old,” Kriz told ABC6 News.

Kriz was inspired by the fact that most high schools don’t have any ice hockey teams below varsity, meaning that underclassmen can “play up.”

"A young freshman who’s a skilled player oftentimes will make the varsity squad and be out there against kids who are three or four years older and much larger, so there’s a size and physical maturity mismatch there,” the sports medicine physician said.

Concussions are the most common injury in youth ice hockey, representing nearly a quarter of injuries among high school hockey players. Kriz recommends parents limit the amount of collision sports their child plays, discourage them from “playing up” if they aren’t physically ready, and call for stricter penalty rules.

"We need to be preparing kids – whether it’s football or ice hockey – with proper checking techniques, proper tackling techniques, so it’s really important,” he said.

Over the past year, the Rhode Island Interscholastic League made changes to improve safety in youth hockey, according to Kriz. Now, players who have repeating major penalties or misconducts can’t be eligible for the playoffs anymore.