Medical Cooling of Ice Hockey Players

Sports-related concussions (SRCs) are a growing health concern, since they may lead to persistent symptoms and, particularly if repeated, to e.g. depression, accelerated dementia onset, and development of chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Here, we addressed the hypotheses that immediate controlled head- and neck cooling could hasten return-to-play in a Swedish cohort of concussed professional ice hockey players. Over three seasons, 15 teams used either immediate head- and neck cooling or standard management for SRC. All players followed the same return-to-play management protocol. Using a baseline questionnaire, no difference in the number of previous SRCs between groups was observed. In total, 92 SRCs were recorded. Eleven players did not complete the study protocol, and thus 81 players were included. Of these, 29 were treated by immediate selective head- and neck cooling for ≥ 30 min, and 52 controls received standard acute SRC management.

Inclusion criteria

• Elite ice hockey players diagnosed by a team physician to have suffered a sports-related concussion. Selective head-neck cooling following the concussion. Duration of cooling a minimum of 45 minutes.

Exclusion criteria

• Presence of red flags (loss of consciousness, seizure, worsening headache, repeated vomiting, focal neurological deficits, neck pain, tingling in arms). Inability to tolerate cooling for a minimum of 30 minutes. Age <18 years old.