Last year I wrote about NHL superstar Sid Crosby returning to play due to a chiropractic specialist. Now it is Blackhawk’s captain, Jonathan Toews who had long lasting effects of a concussion he obtained during the game against the San Jose Sharks back in February. He continued playing until towards the end of the regular season.
The Chicago Tribune article does a good job covering the recovery:
While Toews was symptom-free and had cleared all the NHL-imposed concussion protocols before returning to the Hawks’ lineup, there were lingering effects from the injury that even the 24-year-old center didn’t realize were affecting him. They included balance and eyesight issues that were discovered and solved during a five-day stint at an Atlanta-area chiropractic neurology facility last week.
“Even if you don’t feel something and you think you’re symptom-free, there’s probably still something there that’s kind of hindering you and affecting the way your brain works,” Toews told the Tribune on Wednesday. “It was just a lot of eye-movement things. My eyes didn’t track very well. They didn’t look from one target to the next very well. My balance with my eyes closed and my head turned a certain way was terrible. (There were) little things that I would think were normal because I didn’t feel something in my head.
“But (the chiropractic neurology work) got me back to Square One and I feel great. When I walked out of there I was definitely exhausted because you’re doing a lot of exercises that wear on you, but it’s definitely a good thing.”
As a Sports Chiropractor, I think it is a good idea for those playing contact sports such as hockey, football, wrestling, etc to get a preseason SCAT2 test. Being confident that an athlete is truly ready to return to play is vital in preventing further injury as well as allowing for maximal performance. The test is a wonderful metric to use in the unlikely and unfortunate situation where a brain injury occurs and is incredibly useful to help determine when it is appropriate and safe to get back in the game.
Call ProActive Chiropractic (415-762-8141) and mention this article and receive a professional SCAT2 test for $20.