Chantel Hildebrand was out having supper with her parents when they asked what time her next class was. She said it wasn’t for a couple of hours.
After they dropped her off at home she started to get ready for her class, but a quick glance at her schedule told her she had missed it.
This was not the first time her foggy memory had affected her life and she realized things needed to change.
“It was that day I kind of looked in the mirror and said like you know ‘when’s enough, enough?’ and at the moment you’re not really thinking about hockey you just want to get back to your normal life,” said Hildebrand.
Hildebrand was suffering from her third diagnosed concussion from hockey; one that would end her hockey career.
During the 2010 – 2011 season with the University of Regina Cougars, Hildebrand tried to play despite her symptoms, but it began to effect her playing.
Her coach, who did not know Hildebrand had a concussion, benched her when her game became sloppy.
Eventually, Hildebrand informed her coach of her concussion, but it wasn’t easy.
“I think that’s a struggle that every athlete faces. It’s not, you know, you’ve done something since you were little you do anything to play. Whether that’s unfortunately sometimes hiding an injury, where I don’t know, a brain is a little bit more easy to hide than a broken arm,” said Hildebrand.
Hildebrand is among the growing number of female hockey players suffering from concussions.
Tori Head, who plays centre with the University of Regina Cougars, has had six concussions, the most recent of which occurred last November.
She had her first game back in early February 2015, but the road to that game was not easy. Between those two games, she spent most of her days sleeping.
“It was not very much of a life. It was very depressing because when you get hit it’s almost like, oh yeah you know you think school’s going to be affected, but your overall well-being is totally off. So it’s not enjoyable,” said Head.
Although in the media you are more likely to hear about male hockey players getting concussions, Hildebrand and Head are prime examples of a study headed by Paul Echlin, primary care sports medicine specialist at the Elliott Sports Medicine Clinic in Burlington, Ontario.
One part of this study, the Hockey Concussion Education Project, showed that female hockey players are twice as likely to get concussions versus males.
The study followed 25 male and 20 female Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) hockey players during the 2011 – 2012 season.
There were three possible reasons listed as to why there were more incidents in females versus males.
First is the physical structure difference between the two. Females don’t have the same muscle mass in the head and neck area.
Second is the culture difference. Females are more likely to be honest in the reporting of a concussion.
The last possible reason had to do with the fact females undergo hormonal changes throughout a month that males do not.
The study also notes that although there is no body contact allowed in women’s hockey, that doesn’t mean there is no contact.
“I think the reason that we included female athletes is they haven’t been studied enough in the past, but there is really common things across both genders and that women play a very aggressive, very contact sport. Now it’s supposed to be non-contact, they do and that’s foolish to say that they don’t have heavy contact,” said Echlin.
Head, who plays a very physical game, said that teaching female players how to take a hit would be beneficial to help prevent concussions.
“We were never taught [how] to protect ourselves, so our heads are down way more of the time. You know, we’re not expecting contact,” said Head.
In regards to how many concussions is too many, there is no specific answer.
Patrick Neary, exercise physiologist at the University of Regina in kinesiology and health studies, said concussions go on a person by person basis.
“I don’t think that there is a number, a magic number. I think that when you start to get to five or six it’s certainly better to start looking at your lifestyle,” said Neary.
Head and Hildebrand are perfect examples of a case by case basis.
Head is still playing after six concussions, but is much more aware of them; she is advocating that others take their time coming back.
“I think that just a five minute bike and then workout then getting back on the ice is not a proper process to get someone back… we have to take it more seriously, like this is your brain you’re dealing with, you need this for the rest of your life,” said Head.
Hildebrand suffered three concussions and needed brain training in order to get back to her daily life.
“I think when you realize how important your brain is just… in your daily life,” said Hildebrand. “At the end of the day no matter how much… I loved hockey it wasn’t worth it.”
