The Pressure To Perform: The NHL Injury Report
By Kate Cimini
During last Tuesday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers, St. Louis Blues forward Jaden Schwartz took a puck to the mouth late in the first, only a month after Blues captain David Backes missed a few games after catching a puck with his face.
Schwartz was taken off the ice, a towel clutched to his mouth. While he was able to return in the second period (and score an goal, even) it forces the question: is it a good idea to play while injured?
On a team that is on a serious hot streak, coming off a downswing in production and play, or even on a team that is struggling, it is tempting to urge players to come back before they are ready. After all, their performance could mean the difference between a playoff cup berth and a season ending early. But what does that mean for the players who come back too quickly?
Shortened Recovery, Shortened Career?
Most readers will remember the Sidney Crosby jaw injury cage from 2013 when Crosby’s jaw got between a puck and the net.
The results were not pretty. Not only did he require immediate surgery on his jaw along with dental reconstruction, but he was restricted to a mostly-liquid diet by doctors. One would think that such an injury would also mean a delay in return to play, but Crosby was back on the ice approximately one month later.
While he was lauded for his drive, such decisions can often shorten players’ overall careers. It’s important that players get time to rest and recuperate before returning to work, as those who do on average have long, productive careers.
Professional athletes, however, are notorious in the medical community for having a high pain tolerance and maybe, occasionally, not making the best decisions when it comes to the choice to recover or the choice to play.
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Bleedin’ Blue editor Kate Cimini spoke with a various medical experts and professional athletes to learn more about the difficulties athletes and medical professionals encounter when treating a professional athlete. She first talked to Justin Price, biomechanics expert and creator of The Biomechanics Method pain relief exercise programs.
Price works with injured athletes for a living and was willing to answer some general questions on injury and recovery time when it comes to professional athletes, and even athletes who exercise for health and fun, not for a living.
Kate Cimini: What are the difficulties an athlete might face who did not take the proper time to recover further down the road?
Justin Price: The body will protect an injured area, or body part that is still recovering from injury, by creating musculoskeletal compensation patterns that take stress off the affected area. For example, if an athlete has an injured ankle, knee or hip on the right side of their body they will naturally shift more of their body weight to the left side of their body to get their weight off the injured side. In just one or two days of training this new pattern is learned by the nervous system and feels normal for the athlete. As a result, over time placing more weight on the “good” side to protect the injured side can lead to overuse injuries on the once “good” side. Therefore, if injuries are not addressed [or] fully recovered before returning to training, the athlete can experience multiple subsequent problems as a result of not addressing the initial injury properly.
KC: What is the likelihood this would cut his or her career short?
Justin Price: Athletes who do not take the proper time to recover from injuries set themselves up for a career of chasing both the cause and cure of their problems. Pain and subsequent musculoskeletal and neuromuscular compensation patterns not only affect performance, but the likelihood [is] that a severe injury will cut their career short as the body can only cope and adapt for so long.
Dec 29, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Blues trainer Ray Barile (C) helps St. Louis Blues left wing Chris Porter (32) off the ice after being injured against the Colorado Avalanche during the second period at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
KC: Do professional athletes cut recovery time short more often than hobbyists?
Justin Price: Professional athletes typically cut recovery time short as their livelihood depends on their ability to play [or] compete. They also understand that their ability to generate income revolves around their ability to continue to perform [or] play on a regular basis. As such, while it is not recommended that professional athletes return to the competitive arena so quickly, it is typical practice in the professional sporting realm.
NHL Injury Report: How Does This Affect The Blues?
While Price reminds us that athletes can run the risk of developing a new injury if they come back too quickly, for a doctor, dealing with the original injury is a priority.
Luckily, Schwartz’s injury was that of the minor kind. He was likely assessed for concussion, stitched up and sent back out.
Although this is a minor injury and a relatively frequent occurrence for Schwartz, there remains the likelihood that frequent small injuries will shorten his time with the NHL, and the Blues. Larger, more dramatic injuries, such as the one suffered by Chris Porter against Colorado in late December, occupy an entirely different category.
Look for our interview with Anaheim Ducks physician, Dr. Orr Limpisvati tomorrow as we probe into specific injury cases across the NHL from major to minor, and typical problems hockey players face.