Undergoing surgery for sports-related injuries may be tedious, but the aftermath bears equally serious consideration to make sure the procedure presents the desired results. Scott Cruikshank of the Calgary Herald reports on one such situation:
The news — Sam Bennett needing surgery on his cranky left shoulder — wasn’t great.
Nor was it entirely unexpected.
So Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving stopped short of declaring it a worst-case scenario for the 18-year-old.
“I look at it as, ‘What’s the best way to ensure that we have a good outcome?'” Treliving said this afternoon. “So you explore all the different avenues. Ultimately, the decision’s made to get the issue fixed.
“Anytime you’re having surgery, that’s not perfect by any stretch. But we have no reason to believe that this won’t be . . . I hate to use the word ‘routine,’ but lots of players have gone through this.”
Hockey players in Ontario may no doubt be shaken when something like a shoulder surgery forces them off the ice, and psychological effects would certainly follow. It’s important for them and their family to consider post-op treatments to recover and heal faster. One recommendation is to spend time at a Milton physiotherapy practice, like the OMNI Health and Rehab Clinic, after the operation.
It’s important to have an evaluation of their recent activities on and off the field, which may include previous injuries, to better gauge the degree of treatment. In the case of Bennett, the Flames’ first-round draftee this year, he also suffered a groin injury during the Young Stars Classic tournament at Penticton last month, which factored into his medical assessment during deployments pre-season.
The young player, who sat out the Flames’ last pre-season game against the Winnipeg Jets on October 4, was recommended to undergo shoulder surgery. He said the shoulder’s been acting up since last year, but things got worse during training camp. Arrangements had to be made for a post-op recovery well before he has to go under the knife. Flames officials said a surgeon in Cleveland, USA, will work on Bennett’s shoulder before the player returns to his native Holland Landing, ON, for four to six months’ rest.
For post-operation rehabilitation, or even for minor cases of sports injuries, the condition may be treated with acupuncture at a Burlington, Ontario practice. A licensed acupuncturist uses sterilized needles at predetermined locations to help restore blood flow and expedite healing.
Going off for downtime to be treated may appear to make a dent on your career as a hockey player, but you do realize that it’s important. It would be worth the effort if it means helping you achieve better performance on the ice in the future.
(Source: Flames’ prized prospect Sam Bennett to have shoulder surgery, MSN News Canada/Calgary Herald, 10 October 2014).
