Campbell Messner
HPEZ 373
4/8/14

Motion Analysis Report: Hockey Slap Shot

The hockey slap shot is a complex movement involving many different joints and muscles. In game situations the hockey slap shot is usually used by defenseman, but can be utilized successfully by forwards as well. There are six phases to a hockey slap shot: backswing, downswing, pre-loading, loading, release, and follow through. The hockey slap shot is most of the time made with a carbon fiber hockey stick that has a pre-determined amount of “flex” to the stick to get the puck moving at such high velocities. Accuracy of the puck placement usually depends of whether or not the puck is struck in the loading portion of the swing or in the release portion of the swing. The follow through is also important when determining placement. Unlike most primary sports movements, the hockey slap shot is a dynamic movement where the player is moving along the ice while striking the puck. This is what allows the slap shot to be so dangerous and interesting. To begin a slap shot a player must place the puck at around the middle of their stance for best power. The first movement of the slap shot is the backswing. Depending on which side the player stick handles, right or left, the dominant hand will be first on the stick and the non-dominant placed further down the stick. For the rest of the analysis we will use a player with a left-handed shot. In the backswing of the shot this is where the kinetic energy is developed for power. The hips are slightly flexed by primarily the psoas, iliacus, and pectineus. The arm, left in this case, is fully extended by the triceps brachii and the anconeous. The left arm is pronated as to open the blade up for puck contact. This is achieved primarily by pronator teres and pronator quadratus. The wrist is slightly flexed primarily by flexor carpi ulnaris, flexor carpi radialis, and Palmaris longus. Lastly on the arm, the minor muscles involved with hand flexion are flexor digitorum profundus, flexor digitorum superficialis and, flexor digiti minimi. Putting this all together in the back swing, the actual swing is performed by the trunk and lower back. Major muscles including the trapezius, posterior deltoid, rhomboids, pectoralis major, and latissimus dorsi perform the extension and retraction of the shoulder and the shoulder girdle for the backswing. Primarily the external and internal obliques perform the trunk rotation of the backswing. Phases 2 through 4 are the downswing, pre-loading, and loading phase and are performed by primarily the same muscles. The pre-loading and loading phase are termed this because of the force needed to bend the stick along the ice to give the puck power. The major portion of the power comes from the trunk rotators, external and internal obliques, as well as the assisting abdominal synergists transverse and rectus abdominis. In these phases the shoulder is adducted by the latissimus dorsi, pectoralis major, and teres major. The rest of the arm stays extended as the anterior and lateral deltoid, pectoralis major, coracobrachialis, and the biceps brachii short head flex the shoulder. All of this combines to create the downswing and loading phase of a slap shot. In phases 5 and 6, the body is going through the release and follow through stages. These stages are primarily achieved by further flexion, adduction and even horizontal adduction of the shoulder joint as well as major trunk rotation. The shoulder girdle is also in a fully protracted stage. This action is primarily achieved by the anterior deltoid, latissimus dorsi, pectoralis major and minor and, serratus anterior. This stage also utilizes the extension of the hip for a successful follow through. The major muscles of the posterior leg compartment like the gluteus maximus, semimembranosus, semitendinosus, and biceps femoris achieve this. The follow through stage is important to when it comes to accuracy because the player has to point to where he or she wants it to go. The entire swing of the slap shot is primarily an upper body motion where the scapula humurus, radius, ulna and hand are involved. The scapula protracts and retracts but also glides along the rib cage to perform the downward and upward rotation needed. With minor hip flexion the os coxae, sacrum and femur are primarily used in the isometric, stabilizing contractions. The spine is a large player in this motion because of the huge rotational movement needed to achieve a powerful slap shot. Potential injuries resulting from a slap shot could be a tear of many different muscles or ligaments inside the shoulder. A slap shot is such a dynamic and powerful movement that is easy to tear an upper back or shoulder muscle from moving too quickly before a proper warm-up. When it comes to injuries, the slap shot is the least of a player’s worry, as they have to mind the other players coming after them with body checks. The primary power movers of the slap shot come from the trunk rotation. An importance of strengthening this muscle group is to be able to give more twisting force behind the puck for more power. Strengthening this area also helps prevent any spinal injuries that may arise while playing hockey or later in life. In regards to the slap shot it is also important to keep a strong balance between the posterior and anterior upper body muscles. Keeping both the shoulder extensors as well as the flexors equally strong will result in a powerful slap shot and will prevent any strains or injuries. In conclusion, the hockey slap shot is an amazingly dynamic motion that allows a hockey player to hit the puck with the most force while still being accurate. The slap shot involves a large number of joints and muscles across the body to achieve six phases: backswing, downswing, pre-loading, loading, release, and follow through. A hockey player has to go through all these motions as well as worry about being hit by an opposing player with his or her body. Making the slap shot accurate, quick, and powerful will allow a hockey player to keep scoring while also avoiding hits.