Injury profile in ice hockey from the 1970s through the 1990s in Finland.

The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence, types, and mechanisms of injury in Finnish ice hockey players at the highest competition level in different decades. Several teams were observed prospectively during the seasons between 1976 and 1979, and in the 1988 to 1989 and 1992 to 1993 seasons. An injury was defined as any sudden trauma requiring examination and treatment by a physician. The inclusion criteria were the same during the entire study. A total of 641 injuries were recorded. The injury rate per game increased significantly from 54 per 1000 player-hours in the 1970s to 83 per 1000 player-hours in the 1990s. The injury profile in the 1980s and 1990s differed from that in the 1970s. Per 1000 player-years, the rate of contusions as well as of sprains or strains increased significantly with each decade. Checking and unintentional collision with an opponent were common mechanisms of injury throughout the study, and the rate of injury by these mechanisms has continually increased. In conclusion, we suggest that there has been an increase in rough body contact between players, causing an alarming increase in the rate of ice hockey injuries.

Metal-age: a process for improving well-being and total productivity.

The knowledge on aging and work is vast enough for starting interventions at enterprises. Metal-Age provides tools for (1) attracting the interest of both management and employees, (2) planning interventions, and (3) setting priorities.

Ice hockey injuries in Finland. A prospective epidemiologic study.

In this prospective study of ice hockey injuries in Finland we have investigated the incidence of injury at two playing levels and the causal factors, mechanisms, types, and consequences of the injuries. Seven Finnish ice hockey teams were observed during the 1988 to 1989 season. There were a total of 189 injuries. There were 134 injuries in 4 teams of the highest level, the Finnish National League, and 55 injuries in 3 teams of the second highest level, Division I. The incidence of injuries during games was 66 per 1000 player-game hours in the National League and 36 per 1000 player-game hours in Division I. As for severity, 10 (5%) injuries were classified as major. Of all injuries, 15 (8%) were fractures and 34 (18%) were to the head or face. The most severe injuries were tears of a knee ligament or fractures of an upper extremity. Ongoing surveillance and an exact reporting system are needed for establishing the trends in the number and severity of the injuries.

Rescheduling a three shift system at a steel rolling mill: effects of a one hour delay of shift starting times on sleep and alertness in younger and older workers.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a new work schedule at a Finnish steel mill with special attention to effects on older workers. The schedule was designed to improve sleep before the morning shift, and alertness during the morning shift, by delaying shift start and end times. METHODS: Evaluation was by a shiftwork health and safety questionnaire, recordings of work-rest-sleep cycles with activity monitors worn on the wrist, daily diaries, and on site computerised testing of fatigue and alertness by the NIOSH fatigue test battery. RESULTS: The one hour delay in shift starting times improved sleep before the morning shift, and improved waking fatigue, sleepiness, and performance during the morning shift. Evening and night shift sleep and fatigue or sleepiness, however, were affected negatively by the new work schedule, but the results for those shifts were less consistent across the various measures. Despite the improvements, most workers were not satisfied with the new schedule because of social concerns. Few interactions of age with the new work schedule were found, suggesting that the effects of the work schedule were uniform across age groups. CONCLUSION: A change of as little as one hour in shift starting times can improve morning shift sleep and alertness, but there are trade offs from these improvements in terms of night shift effects and social considerations. It seems, then, that optimal shift start and end times for an entire organisation are difficult to institute on a wide scale. Tailoring shift schedules to subgroups within an organisation is suggested.