Field Hockey

Physiology of field hockey

Field hockey is a dynamic sport played by both males and females in over 120 countries. In North America alone, there are over 5000 women competing for their college field hockey team. In many ways, it is similar to lacrosse, soccer, basketball and ice hockey in that successful play requires significant aerobic endurance, muscular strength and power. The focus for field hockey players should be on maximizing each of these physiological components.

For the aerobic endurance component, a 2009 Australian study supports the use of interval-based training; their program had a total volume of approximately 3000m, with distances ranging from as little as 5m to as long as 100m

During the field hockey season, researchers from Maryland showed (in 2004) that field hockey players are able to maintain that aerobic endurance.

However, muscle strength decreased by nearly 15%.

Therefore, it makes sense to include a muscle strength and power program both pre- and in-season

Common field hockey injuries

Seventy-five percent of field hockey players have had at least one injury. While most field hockey injury studies have looked at the rate of injuries for women, it appears that males are actually injured at a higher rate and their injuries are often more severe.

According to a 2006 study in the American Journal of Sports Medicine, elite men had more than three times the risk of a game injury than women in the 2004 Olympics.

Goalkeepers

Some have reported this to be the most injured position

Concussions are the most common injury for this position

Midfielders

While this is certainly the most injured of the field players, some have reported it to be the most injured overall as well

Most injuries for this position are to the head, face and arms

Midfielders tend to get injured when tackling

Forwards and Defenders

Similar rates of injuries between these two positions

Defenders, however, have more leg injuries

Forwards have more head and face injuries