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Background: An updated National Hockey League (NHL) concussion protocol (NHLCP) was established in the 2016-2017 season to mitigate the negative outcomes of sport-related concussions. However, few studies on the effects of implementing the NHLCP have been performed. Purpose: To define concussion incidence and investigate differences in NHL player performance after a concussion during periods before and after NHLCP implementation and assess the financial impact on NHL teams associated with NHLCP implementation. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: This was a retrospective review of NHL players who sustained a concussion before (2000-2001 to 2015-2016 seasons) and after (2016-2017 to 2020-2021 seasons) implementing the NHLCP (pre-NHLCP and post-NHLCP groups). For each group, multiple performance metrics-including 30 days, 1 season, and 3 seasons before and after concussion-were compared for both groups. Return to play, total concussion cost, and association of return to play with cost were investigated using regression analysis. Results: A total of 452 players (423 skaters, 29 goalies) sustained concussions during the study period, including 331 players (315 skaters, 16 goalies) in the pre-NHLCP group and 121 players (108 skaters, 13 goalies) in the post-NHLCP group. For both groups, no significant differences in standard performance were observed during the 30-day and 1-season periods before and after concussion. The mean return to play was significantly higher in the pre-NHLCP group than in the post-NHLCP group (20.1 vs 15.7 days; P = .022). The mean adjusted player salary was not different between groups; nonetheless, the mean adjusted replacement player salary was significantly higher in the post-NHLCP group ($744,505 vs $896,942; P = .032). The mean cost of time missed did not differ between groups. The mean return to play time significantly decreased over the entire study period (R2 = 0.33; P = .005), and the mean return to play time was positively associated with cost R2 = 0.215; P = .030). Conclusion: Concussion incidence did not change after implementation of the updated NHLCP; nonetheless, players had significantly less missed time from injury after protocol implementation. Changes in player performance 30 days and 1 year before and after concussion injury were not different before and after NHLCP implementation. No differences were found in the financial cost of concussions between the pre- and post-NHLCP groups, and missed time was significantly correlated with mean cost from missed time.
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STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE: Professional hockey players have a high incidence of lumbar disc herniations (LDH). The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of LDH on the performance and financial earnings of National Hockey League (NHL) players. METHODS: NHL players who sustained a LDH were retrospectively reviewed utilizing an online database and a 2:1 matched control cohort. Player performance and game usage was compared at one- and three-season(s) pre- and post-injury season within the cohorts. Injured and matched players were divided into 3 groups based on the player's adjusted index season salary. RESULTS: A total of 181 players were included, with 62 LDH players matched to 119 healthy controls. Return to play after LDH was 79%. The LDH cohort had fewer seasons played throughout their career compared to the matched group (12.5 ± 4.3 vs 14.2 ± 3.8; P = .031). At 1 season post-index, the LDH cohort had significantly fewer goals per 60 and points per 60 when compared to pre-index. At 3 seasons post-index, the LDH cohort exhibited a significant decline in time-on-ice per game played, goals per 60, and points per 60 compared to pre-index. CONCLUSION: The majority of NHL players who sustained a LDH returned to play (79%) but had shorter careers overall and decreased performance outcomes when compared to matched cohorts at both 1 and 3 seasons post-injury.
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Background and objective The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic necessitated a sudden and drastic shift in patient management throughout the healthcare system, to curb the spread of the disease and deal with resource limitations. Many surgical cases were canceled or delayed with only the most urgent and emergent cases taken up for treatment. It is unknown if and how these alterations affected patient outcomes. The purpose of this study was to compare time to fracture care and outcomes between patients treated for humeral shaft fractures prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and those treated during the pandemic. We hypothesized that the pandemic cohort would have a prolonged time to fracture care and worse outcomes than the pre-pandemic cohort. Materials and methods This was a retrospective cohort study performed within a single healthcare system. All humeral shaft fractures treated from March to June 2019 (pre-pandemic cohort) and March to June 2020 (pandemic cohort) were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes and ICD-10-CM codes as well as Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes. Data on demographics, fracture characteristics, treatment, and outcomes were collected via chart and radiograph review. Outcomes analyzed included time to being made weight-bearing as tolerated (WBAT), radiographic union, and final follow-up; range of motion (ROM) at radiographic union and final follow-up; and rate of complications. Results The pre-pandemic cohort (n=19) was significantly younger with a mean age of 29 years than the pandemic cohort (n=17) with a mean age of 49 years (p=0.010). There were no other significant differences in demographics, fracture characteristics, or treatment type between the groups. Time to fracture care was not significantly different in the pre-pandemic cohort (five days) versus the pandemic cohort (four days). Time to being made WBAT, radiographic union, and final follow-up were not significantly different between the pre-pandemic (86, 113, and 98 days) and the pandemic cohorts (77, 106, and 89.5 days). ROM measurements in abduction at radiographic union were significantly different between the cohorts: in the pre-pandemic cohort, 100% of patients reached greater than 160 degrees; in the pandemic cohort, only 16.7% of patients reached greater than 160 degrees (p=0.048). There was a non-significant decrease in the proportion of patients who achieved the maximal category of ROM measurements in forward elevation and extension at radiographic union and abduction, forward elevation, and extension at final follow-up, as well as a non-significant increase in visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores at final follow-up between cohorts. There were no significant differences in the rate of complications. Conclusions Despite limited resources, reduced operating room availability, and increased utilization of virtual visits due to the COVID-19 pandemic, patients with humeral shaft fractures may not have faced delays in fracture care or worse outcomes compared to the pre-pandemic period. The pandemic cohort may have experienced significantly decreased ROM compared to the pre-pandemic cohort, which may reflect the decreased availability of physical therapy services and overall decreased activity levels due to the quarantine orders. However, we could not identify any other significant differences in the type of treatment, pain, complications, or time to union.
