I don't know about anyone else, but I'm stoked the that NHL lockout is over and hockey is back in action. I've been watching so many games since the league started play again. I make sure to get my work and other things done so that my Saturdays and Sundays are jammed packed with hockey. With the return of excitement of play also comes the danger. Especially with the league starting up immediately after the end of the lockout, many players were not used to game speed yet and this noticeably led to a handful of injuries. But now being more educated in athletic training I'm able to view this situation from a different perspective as well. This perspective is that there would most definitely be more injuries if it were not for all that protective equipment that is worn.
In recent weeks of play I have seen more dangerous injuries take place. One that comes to mind is when the Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby took a puck to the face. It looked to be a very serious injury. He was in mob of players in front of the net attempting to screen the New York Islanders' goalie and deflect the puck. But this is not what happened. Instead Penguins' player, Kris Lehtang, moved the puck to teammate, Evgini Malkin, and he sent a shot towards the net and it hit Crosby right in the face. Instantly Crosby slid to the ice grabbing at his face. The athletic training staff immediately came to his aid. They surveyed the situation and got him off the ice and to the locker room very quickly.
Click here to see the injury
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFQwS_2G79Q
After watching the replay a few times I really got a feel for the injury, but realized that it could've potentially been worse. The reason I believe it was not was because of the protective half shield Crosby wears connected to his helmet. This is not the first time if seen a half shield prevent an injury or at least lessen the severity of an injury. I can recall when Steve Yzerman took a puck to the face while not wearing a half shield and it almost cost him one of his eyes. If he would've been wearing a protective half shield his injury may have never even occurred. I know in the AHL (American Hockey League) all players must wear half shields, and I wonder if that may be the same for players in the NHL in the near future.
Work Cited
"Arnheim's principles of athletic training: A competency - based approach (14th ed.). New York:
McGraw - Hill.", by Prentice, W. E. (2010)
I 100% agree with you about the protective shields the players wear as I too think it should be required for all players to have. Hockey is such a dangerous sport and with no cover over the face, there have been plenty of injuries to the facial area as a result of no face guard. Pucks to the face, sticks to the face, elbows to the eye bone. I've seen it all and keep wondering why players wouldn't wear the protective visor. I understand the whole concept of toughness in hockey but this shield could prevent a drastic injury. I also believe that mouth guards should be required for player safety. Look at all the players with broken, or lost teeth. I know that a mouth guard might be annoying to wear just like a protective visor but the degree of the injury can be kept low with these two vital pieces of equipment. This was a great post and I love hearing about the sports world on this blog. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the positive feedback. Unlike you I am not for having mandatory face shields or visors for players or for making mouth guards mandatory. I get what your saying and that it would more than likely keep players safer, but that is not what hockey is all about. Being a hockey player myself, losing teeth and getting scars and bruises is all part of being a hockey player, about being tough. Although I will say that in the near future I think that they will make facial protection mandatory in the NHL. They already have done so in the AHL. I am glad to hear I post enjoyable posts about athletic training and the sports world. I'll try my best to keep up the work.
ReplyDelete