The Body Explained | Hockey Injuries (@BodyExplained) header
The Body Explained | Hockey Injuries (@BodyExplained) profile picture

PA-S | Ortho bro here to explain how injuries actually work and to share other health knowledge | Mechanisms, anatomy, timelines, never an official diagnosis

United States
Joined January 2024
Another angle of Cooley that leads to more knee speculation versus groin Ankle could even be involved but it didn’t seem to get trapped too
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Devin Cooley of the Flames left the game with a LBI after the collision seen below His left leg extends out and gets caught in an awkward position and he collapses on top of it First glance had me thinking more adductor strain but the way he falls on the leg could mean more knee ligament (MCL/ACL) or meniscus injury It does seem to get too stuck underneath him but it hard to tell Could be looking at a more than a day-to-day situation but hoping that is wrong
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Noel Acciari left the game after this collision but later returned which is good news It seems the injury came from the knee to the head in what we call an axial loading pattern injury This mechanism in general is concerning for a cervical (neck bone) fracture of spinal cord injury; this definitely did not happen as he returned but is just a general tidbit It can also cause concussions very easily which is likely why Acciari got checked out Wonder if he will deal with some stiffness or neck strain symptoms later on
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Warren Foegele left the game with assistance last night after knee on knee contact Lauzon’s knee seemed to strike Foegele’s knee on the outside more and causing that valgus stress that is seen very commonly in MCL sprains/tears The knee did not seem to give as much as guys like Marchenko the other day which is promising but cannot rule out any ligament or meniscus injury of the knee Any time there is a big blow like this it is important to rule out a tibial plateau fracture (pictured below) among other fractures, so X-Rays were likely taken A simple contusion is a diagnosis of exclusion so we will wait to see Foegele’s timeline
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Zach Hyman placed on IR from this hit and reportedly has a “stiff neck” It still could be likely that this is treated as a concussion with a neck injury of some sorts involved I am sure they looked for signs of unstable neck injury and red flag concussion The neck may have undergone a strain of some sorts that has been causing the stiffness mentioned Hyman could just go through concussion protocol at the same time he is healing the neck up
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Jack Hughes⬇️
Chipped teeth are practically a hockey rite of passage as Jack Hughes here would say 🏒🦷 But here’s the anatomy + physiology behind how they get fixed. 🦷 What Happens When a Tooth Chips? Teeth have layers: 1.Enamel – Hard, mineralized outer shell (no nerves, no blood supply) 2.Dentin – Softer layer underneath, contains microscopic tubules connected to nerves 3.Pulp – Central core with blood vessels and nerves If the chip is: •Enamel only → cosmetic issue, usually painless •Into dentin → sensitivity to air/cold (fluid shifts in dentinal tubules stimulate pulp nerves) •Into pulp → bleeding, significant pain, infection risk 🏒 How Does It Get Fixed? 1️⃣ Evaluation Team dentist checks depth of fracture and maybe an X-ray to assess pulp involvement. 2️⃣ Enamel/Dentin Chip Most common in hockey. •Smoothed or rebuilt with composite resin bonding •Resin chemically bonds to enamel via acid etching •Light-cured to harden Function restored immediately. 3️⃣ If Pulp Is Exposed •Root canal: Remove inflamed pulp, disinfect canal, fill with gutta-percha •Crown may be placed later for structural strength 🧠 Physiology Pearl Dentin hypersensitivity happens because exposed dentinal tubules allow fluid movement which triggers mechanoreceptors in the pulp (hydrodynamic theory).
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Sam Steel of the Stars received an “injection as part of his treatment” What does that mean? It could mean several things Most often, this means a corticosteroid injection. Corticosteroid injections switches off inflammatory genes which reduces pain and swelling. The steroid takes effect over a few days, and a "steroid flare" (more pain for 24–48 hours) can happen first. I have been giving a ton of these on my current school rotation The trade-off is that inflammation is part of normal healing, so suppressing it may in theory slow repair. 🚨The steroid also does not reverse structural damage! An injection does not repair tissue. Other possibilities are platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or an anesthetic-only diagnostic injection. Diagnostic anesthetic injection involves numbing a specific spot, such as the hip joint, helps identify the pain source. If pain goes away, the joint is the likely source. PRP is when the player's own concentrated platelets are injected to try to stimulate healing. It has been tried for adductor injuries that don't respond to rehab, but evidence is limited (@DrJesseMorse is a good follow for this stuff) What does this tell us in Steel’s case? Steroid injection directly into a fresh muscle tear is controversial, so this injection 2 days after an injury points to something to more than a simple tear Bursitis or tendon irritation respond well to injections, and can lead to a return of play in as little as a week Reviews note that a midseason corticosteroid injection may be considered specifically to speed return to play for players with recurrent pain. Steele had a hip/groin issue this March, so this is very much in play Overall, a quick return (days to about 2 weeks) suggests the injection was used to manage pain or inflammation in a minor or chronic problem so he can keep playing. A longer absence suggests the injection was diagnostic or supportive alongside a real structural injury.
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Igor Chernyshov is “out for a while” after leaving the game due to this play That timing leads to the belief something is fractured versus just a contusion Kind of hard to tell exactly where the puck hit but he seems to grab that arm so a fracture to the radius/ulna are in play The ulna is on the outside exposed area there so a shaft fracture is possible, aka a “nightstick” fracture Return to play if that’s the case is about 6-8 weeks They seemed to know pretty quickly so X-rays pretty likely showed the fracture well which would put Cheryshov in some sort of cast
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Very similar and scary situation to Jake McCabe that occurred here with Nini Niederreiter Immediate concern for an eye injury The overriding immediate concern with plays like this is a open globe injury which is a surgical emergency This mechanism can also cause eyelid lacerations, orbital fractures, hyphema (pool of blood in the front of the eye), corneal abrasion/laceration, and others Would be important to protect the eye and assess vision early
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Vincent Desharnais of the Capitals underwent an appendectomy An appendectomy is surgery to remove the appendix, usually because it has become inflamed or infected causing a condition called appendicitis. It is very important to not people can live a normal, healthy life without their appendix. ❓ The appendix is a small, finger-shaped pouch attached to the beginning of the large intestine, usually in the lower-right part of the belly 😷 Appendicitis means the appendix is inflamed. Sometimes its opening becomes blocked, allowing bacteria to grow and pressure to build inside. As swelling increases, the appendix can lose its blood supply and develop a hole or burst. This can spread infection into the belly. Not everyone has these symptoms but here are some you should watch out for! 🔹Belly pain that starts near the belly button and moves toward the lower-right side 🔹Pain that gets worse with walking, coughing, or movement 🔹Loss of appetite 🔹Nausea or vomiting 🔹Fever 🔹Sometimes constipation, diarrhea, or bloating 🚨Do NOT wait for every symptom to appear Appendicitis is diagnosed through clinical signs, ultrasound, and/or CT scan There are two main surgical types to mention here as Desharnais went through it 1️⃣Laparoscopic - the surgery is done with a camera through several small cuts in the belly 2️⃣Open - the appendix is removed through one large cut Sometimes the surgery may begin laparoscopic and then become open Most patients recover very well! In an uncomplicated procedure, the patient may be able to go home the same day or the next day. All surgeries have bleeding and infection risk, and light physical activity is generally ok after 1-3 weeks, which checks out the 4-6 week timeline for Desharneis to ramp up playing hockey
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