Always stretch before a hockey game or practice, as muscle pulls and tears can leave you sidelined for lengthy periods. Warm up before you stretch, as stretching cold muscles can have the opposite effect. You should learn the proper body position while holding your stretch and never stretch until you feel pain, as over- stretching can cause injury. Hold each stretch for 15 to 30 seconds and repeat two to four times for a complete stretch.
Shoulders
When stretching your upper body, begin by flexing your shoulders. Hold your stick in both hands in front of you and slowly lift your arms over your head and as far back as possible. Avoid arching your back to get the full effect of the stretch. Do the same stretch with your arms behind your back as well, as this stretches the other side of your shoulders.
Trunk
To loosen your back, hold your stick out in front of you at your shoulders with both hands and rotate to one side. Once you hold the stretch for a few seconds, return to a middle position before stretching the other side. You should not swing yourself side to side when doing this stretch, which keeps you in control of how much pressure you apply at all times.
Quads and Groins
Hockey players can run into problems with their legs, so stretching this area of the body remains important. As you skate in warm-up, drag one leg behind your body to stretch your groin and thigh. Have your back leg completely straight, with the inside of the skate on the ice. Press your back leg forward and down as you stretch it. Keep your shoulders facing forward and your back straight as you complete this stretch. Switch legs afterward, while moving slowly in and out of the stretch.
Hamstrings
While sitting on the floor or ice, have your feet a comfortable distance apart and begin by leaning forward at your hips. Keep your feet pointing toward the sky and relax your quads. Have your hands reaching out in front of your body to provide stability. Push your chest down toward your thigh but avoid pushing your head down to your knee. Keep your back straight and your shoulders facing forward throughout the stretch to avoid injury. You can then bend at the hips towards one leg, followed by bending towards the other leg. Do these stretches slowly and do not strain yourself.
References
- Hockey Canada: Injury Prevention Techniques
- "Hockey For Dummies"; John Davidson, et al.; 2000
