Let's Play Hockey!

For a hockey fan like myself it is the greatest time of the year.  (OK, so maybe second greatest if your team makes the playoffs).  The season officially begins tonight and tomorrow my favorite team, the Penguins, and the local team, the Lightning, begin the season.  Because of this occasion, I feel it is appropriate to post my previous hockey blogs.

http://donaldjadamovdpm.blogspot.com/2013/06/alex-ovechkins-broken-foot.html

http://donaldjadamovdpm.blogspot.com/2013/03/kris-letangs-broken-toe.html

http://donaldjadamovdpm.blogspot.com/2013/02/erik-karlssons-achilles-laceration.html

http://donaldjadamovdpm.blogspot.com/2013/01/ice-hockey-is-back.html

http://donaldjadamovdpm.blogspot.com/2011/11/ice-hockey-and-foot-injuries.html

Alex Ovechkin's Broken Foot

As I have said before, I am a Penguins fan so I am biased to say Sidney Crosby is the best player in the world.  However, last evening, the Washington Capital's captain beat Sidney Crosby out by winning the Hart Trophy as the NHL's MVP.

As a podiatrist, I was also interested to learn that Ovechkin played a few playoff games and for Team Russia with a broken left foot.  Surprisingly he admitted not telling doctors about it until after the season.  It is thought that he sustained a "hairline fracture" blocking a shot in the Capitals / Rangers playoff series.

This, in my opinion, is unwise as a hairline fracture or "stress fracture" can become a "full fracture" and lead to a break in the bone that can heal in a poor position or not well.  Sometimes surgery, especially in a pro athlere, is then needed.

Usually stress fractures cause swelling in the foot and pain especially after being on the foot for awhile.  I have seen countless stress fractures that are not visible on x-ray but very evident on MRI.  Therefore, just because one recieves a normal x-ray reading does not mean nothing is wrong.  Any foot pain, especially with severe swelling, should not be overlooked.