23/03/2026
The more I watch hockey, the more I’m starting to look at it through a compensation lens.
It’s easy to focus on speed, power and acceleration, but what’s standing out more to me now is how players decelerate and absorb load.
From a physio point of view, this is where it gets interesting. Every stop, transition and change of direction requires eccentric strength, joint control under load, and the ability to absorb force properly.
If that system isn’t doing its job, the body will find another way. And that’s where we start to see groin-related pain, hip irritation and lumbar compensation patterns.
Deceleration isn’t just performance. It’s injury prevention.
What I’m learning is that it’s not always about producing more force, it’s about controlling it on the way down.
Still learning, but I’m starting to see the patterns — and once you see them, you can’t unsee them.