NYTimes: Sharper hollows cause 50% of groin injuries

[VakarLajos 5]

A customer came in the other day and pointed this article out to me.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/23/science/...amp;ref=science

rofessor Lockwood has studied something more rudimentary: how skate blades are sharpened. A blade’s bottom is not flat, but grooved to create two edges that grip the ice. A study with the National Hockey League of groin injuries found that “more than 50 percent of them are due to skate sharpening, way too deep a hollow” in the blade’s groove, which can give a player too much traction instead of allowing easy gliding, she said.

Has anybody heard anything like this?

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

A customer came in the other day and pointed this article out to me.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/23/science/...amp;ref=science

rofessor Lockwood has studied something more rudimentary: how skate blades are sharpened. A blade’s bottom is not flat, but grooved to create two edges that grip the ice. A study with the National Hockey League of groin injuries found that “more than 50 percent of them are due to skate sharpening, way too deep a hollow” in the blade’s groove, which can give a player too much traction instead of allowing easy gliding, she said.

Has anybody heard anything like this?

Jagr ring a bell?

Blackstone met with Prof. Lockwood earlier this week - will be interesting to see what she thinks about FBV.

[jimmy 194]

Pretty much old news.

[VakarLajos 5]

what hollows are they considering too deep?

[K9 Unit 1]

i think a bunch of different factors make it gonna hard to judge...weight/skating style etc etc

[VakarLajos 5]

A customer came in the other day and pointed this article out to me.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/23/science/...amp;ref=science

rofessor Lockwood has studied something more rudimentary: how skate blades are sharpened. A blade’s bottom is not flat, but grooved to create two edges that grip the ice. A study with the National Hockey League of groin injuries found that “more than 50 percent of them are due to skate sharpening, way too deep a hollow” in the blade’s groove, which can give a player too much traction instead of allowing easy gliding, she said.

Has anybody heard anything like this?

Jagr ring a bell?

Blackstone met with Prof. Lockwood earlier this week - will be interesting to see what she thinks about FBV.

if it rang a bell, would i be asking?

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

Didn't mean it as a slam, but Jagr skated with a deep hollow, and on that MSG ice, had all sorts of issues.

[VakarLajos 5]

Didn't mean it as a slam, but Jagr skated with a deep hollow, and on that MSG ice, had all sorts of issues.

all good. MSG is is absolutely terrible.

Are they considering 3/8 and deeper "too deep" or is it more along the lines of "too deep for the person's physique and skating style"?

[Ahriman 1]

the latter would make a lot more sense.

[oldtrainerguy28 478]

A customer came in the other day and pointed this article out to me.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/23/science/...amp;ref=science

rofessor Lockwood has studied something more rudimentary: how skate blades are sharpened. A blade’s bottom is not flat, but grooved to create two edges that grip the ice. A study with the National Hockey League of groin injuries found that “more than 50 percent of them are due to skate sharpening, way too deep a hollow” in the blade’s groove, which can give a player too much traction instead of allowing easy gliding, she said.

Has anybody heard anything like this?

Jagr ring a bell?

Blackstone met with Prof. Lockwood earlier this week - will be interesting to see what she thinks about FBV.

Her machine was delivered this week!

[DarkStar50 679]

This is from January 2006. Just some info from the Oilers skate guru about who skates on what for ROH. Click on the photo and then it will be easier to read.

[epstud74 24]

I always skate with a 7/8 in the summer months.

[fifthlinegoon 0]

the latter would make a lot more sense.

I thought so too but. Aside from the quality of ice. I thought with a shallower ROH you would have a tendency to slip out more when pushing off if you dont have a low enough knee bend or body lean but only if you are not use to the shallow ROH. With a deeper ROH the edges are more likely to get nicked and dulled up which would lead to more of an unexpected slip out hence the groin pulls. Just my opinion.

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

No, it is the exact opposite.

Having a deeper ROH puts more of a strain on the joints/body. Having that extra resistance and not having the ability to slip out is what causes the groin pull. Think about it this way - if your body is going one way and your skate is firmly planted in the ice, something has to give.

[epstud74 24]

No, it is the exact opposite.

Having a deeper ROH puts more of a strain on the joints/body. Having that extra resistance and not having the ability to slip out is what causes the groin pull. Think about it this way - if your body is going one way and your skate is firmly planted in the ice, something has to give.

+1

I had a 1/2 sharpening this fall and ended up with a groin pull which still bothers me after a hard skate. Something I cannot seem to get rid of. With a flatter hollow, I get much better glide and transition better. Some people may not notice the difference, but I definitely notice the difference, especially on a warm day and within 5ft of the dashers.

[Leafsrule16 5]

I always thought hollows worked the other way around. For a guy whos looking for mostly straight line speed, what would you recommend?

[Aussie Joe 0]

+1

I had a 1/2 sharpening this fall and ended up with a groin pull which still bothers me after a hard skate. Something I cannot seem to get rid of. With a flatter hollow, I get much better glide and transition better. Some people may not notice the difference, but I definitely notice the difference, especially on a warm day and within 5ft of the dashers.

I used to get issues with my groin, I found the best way to sort it was by streching after the session and the very next morning as soon as I get up. This left my groin feeling strong and pain/tenderness free throughout the day.

[K9 Unit 1]

I always thought hollows worked the other way around. For a guy whos looking for mostly straight line speed, what would you recommend?

i'm a speed guy...i have 1/2" coz i like to have enough bite for starts/stops/acceleration but not too much bite so i can glide too, buts its really pp once again...some people are super fast with huge/tiny hollows

[chippa13 1844]

+1

I had a 1/2 sharpening this fall and ended up with a groin pull which still bothers me after a hard skate. Something I cannot seem to get rid of. With a flatter hollow, I get much better glide and transition better. Some people may not notice the difference, but I definitely notice the difference, especially on a warm day and within 5ft of the dashers.

I used to get issues with my groin, I found the best way to sort it was by streching after the session and the very next morning as soon as I get up. This left my groin feeling strong and pain/tenderness free throughout the day.

You are better off stretching warm muscles after a skate than cold muscles before a skate. You make a better use of warmup time doing just that, warming up, than you do stretching. Stretching cold muscles does nothing to loosen them up or warm them up.

[epstud74 24]

I usually skate first and then warm up on the bench. I also drink Gatorade before, during and after the session.

I sometimes eat bananas before and afterwards as well. I'm guessing my groin pulls are due to the fact that I'm 235lbs at only 6-1.

[Jarick 5]

I'd try a warmup (jog in place, jumping jacks, jump rope, etc) until you are breathing pretty good and about to work up a sweat, then do some ballistic stretching like forward and side lunges until the legs are good and warm, then get dressed and play. After the game, do some static stretches.

[Aussie Joe 0]

You are better off stretching warm muscles after a skate than cold muscles before a skate. You make a better use of warmup time doing just that, warming up, than you do stretching. Stretching cold muscles does nothing to loosen them up or warm them up.

Actually I found doing both works, and what makes you assume I'm not warming up on dry land before I strech? ;)

[KABAROV 0]

Good advice Jarik! I pulled my groin very badly during this past winter season. I was skating on 3/8" at that time iirc. I'm still doing functional rehab but i'm back to skating shape at this time. I use a pair of core shorts pro as my compression shorts under my cup/garter.

For warmup, i wear my coreshorts and a long sleeve compression shirt w/ neckguard. i do some high knee running, jogging, and lunging prior to putting on my gear. Once my gear is on and i'm still warm, i do some very light static stretching. Then i head on the ice and do some hard skating and i'm good to play.

[Law Goalie 147]

You are better off stretching warm muscles after a skate than cold muscles before a skate. You make a better use of warmup time doing just that, warming up, than you do stretching. Stretching cold muscles does nothing to loosen them up or warm them up.

If there was one thing I could have blown up to billboard size and put in every rink... apart from, "Shut the hell up and let your kids play."

About the only form of 'stretching' that does anything is the kind of dynamic, calisthenic stuff that really just reminds the nervous system of how to engage stabilisers.

Nobody seems to recall the most obvious advice about body tissues, which is that they are ELASTIC.

[MLSman 22]

+1 for me.

I had nagging groin injuries, and I switched to 5/8" Knock on wood my groin has been trouble free for 2 years since...and I have had no issues with edge control. I might try to go 11/16" next year