Shoulder Instability in Ice Hockey Players Incidence, Mechanism, and MRI Findings

High-level ice hockey players are prone to traumatic injuries. The most common cause of injury is from body checking or player contact, and the reported rate of injury to the shoulder ranges between 8.6% and 21.9%. The authors reviewed a consecutive series of 24 professional ice hockey players presenting between 2010 and 2013 with post-traumatic shoulder instability. Radiologist review of each player's magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) scan demonstrated a high prevalence of Hill-Sachs lesions, which may contribute to increased failure rates of arthroscopic or open labral repairs. These may need to be addressed with alternative surgical procedures.