The Complete Handbook of Hockey Sledges

Chapter 1: Understanding Hockey Sledges

What a Hockey Sledge Is, and What It Does

A hockey sledge is an adaptive ice sled that allows a player with limited or no lower-body function to play hockey. It consists of a seating frame mounted above one or two ice blades, with two short sticks that have metal picks on one end for propulsion and a blade on the other for shooting and passing. The player sits in the sledge with their legs secured in front, uses the picks to grip the ice and pull themselves forward, and raises the sledge slightly on one runner to turn. This is not a modified version of an existing product — it is a purpose-built piece of equipment designed around the biomechanics of someone who generates power from the trunk and arms, not the legs.

The sledge itself is usually made of a welded steel or aluminum frame, but top-end models now use chromoly steel or carbon fiber composite. The blade system is either a single centered blade (mono-blade) or a pair of runners set apart at the base. Seating is a molded plastic or carbon bucket, padded and fitted with straps that hold the hips, thighs, and sometimes the ankles in a fixed position. The sticks are typically about 65 to 90 centimeters long, depending on the player's arm length and style of play. They are the single most important piece of "attached" equipment — without them, the player cannot move or handle the puck.