A goalie wears nearly 50 pounds in protective gear during a hockey game. This makes a goalie the most protected player on the ice. However, padding and protection can not always protect a goalie from injury. According to the British Columbia Injury and Research Prevention Unit, 31 percent of hockey injuries occur to the lower extremities. Keeping this fact in mind, many hockey goalies find themselves playing through or sidelined courtesy of a knee injury. If you suspect you have sustained a knee injury while playing goalies, it is important to contact your physician.
Meniscal Injuries
Hockey goalies must be extremely flexible and be able to react quickly. Keeping this in mind, many hockey goalies sustain knee injuries as the result of a collision with another player, taking a puck to the leg or simply twisting their knee in the wrong direction while moving to make a save. Contact sport athletes -- including hockey players -- are at risk for meniscal injuries, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. The meniscus is the cartilage that cushions and stabilizes the joint between your thigh bone and shinbone. Meniscus injuries frequently involve full or partial tears of the cartilage. Twisting and squatting maneuvers of a goalie can lead to this injury. With a meniscus injury, goalies will experience pain, swelling, stiffness and a limited range of motion. Treatment for a meniscal injury depends on the severity of the tear and can range from rest to surgical repair.
ACL Injuries
The ACL is also known as the anterior cruciate ligament. ACL injuries are often the result of a sudden change of direction, twisting or an over-extension of the knee, all of which are very likely maneuvers of a hockey goaltender. The ACL is one of the ligaments located in the middle of your knee, according to MayoClinic.com. It connects your thighbone and shinbone. The ACL also helps to stabilize the knee joint. ACL injuries can cause a knee to feel loose and unstable. Goalies are likely to feel pain, swelling and instability when bearing weight. A severe ACL injury is treated with surgery. Partial tears are treated with rest, bracing and physical therapy.
Patellar Tendinitis
The patellar tendon is located in your knee cap and plays an important role in the ability to extend your knee, according to MayoClinic.com. Tendinitis is often an over use injury. Goaltenders are likely to feel more pain while practicing and during games than they will on their off days. With patellar tendinitis, pain is felt between the knee and the shinbone. This pain can range from dull to a constant ache. Rest is the number one treatment method for patellar tendinitis. Goalies are also likely to participate in therapy designed to stretch and strengthened their patellar tendon. Stretching and strengthening can help prevent further issues with patellar tendinitis.
Knee Contusion
Hockey is considered to be a high-impact sport by the American Academy of Pediatrics. High-impact sports can lead to frequent contusions or bruises. With goalies constantly on their feet and knees, repeated and direct blows to the knee are common. Knee contusions are normally minor and heal quickly, according to AAOS. More serious knee contusions or repeat contusions can lead to deep tissue damage. Symptoms of a knee contusion include pain, swelling and bruising. Rest, ice, elevation, compression and anti-inflammatory medicines can treat most knee contusions.
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