Hockey is known as being a dangerous sport full of checks, speeding skates and flying pucks. As the Columbus Blue Jackets prepare for their next game on March 9th against the Detroit Red Wings, one player will be forced to sit the bench and stay off his skates for a few weeks. Defenseman James Wisniewski has been placed on injured reserve after a stray puck broke a bone in his foot. Broken foot bones are just one of several injuries that commonly occur in the lower extremity in hockey players.
Due to the protective nature of the hockey skate, a fairly strong force, usually from a puck or stick, is required to cause a fracture. While Wisniewski has not released information regarding what bone in his foot his fractured, the most common foot fractures in ice hockey are of the navicular and the base of the 5th metatarsal. Both of these fractures may require surgery if the bone fragments are displaced or if the fracture may not have adequate blood supply to heal. Other less severe fractures may heal easily when immobilized and protected, which seems to be the case for Wisniewski.
Aside from lacerations caused by other players’ skates, hockey skates can cause a condition known as “skate bite”. The front of the ankle becomes painful due to the tightness of lacing at the top of the skate. A number of tendons and nerves cross down the front of the ankle into the foot and become irritated by the tight skate. As a result, tendon movement can become painful when the toes are lifted or if the nerves become irritated, a tingling, or burning pain may develop. Special pads can be added to the tongue of skates or the tongue portion can be thinned out to reduce this irritation from continuing. If this condition is not addressed, scar tissue may develop at the ankle and cause chronic pain.
Although it is unfortunate the Wisniewski will have to miss four to six weeks of an already shortened NHL season, Columbus should luckily have him healed up and ready to help the Blue Jackets to victory on the path to the Stanley Cup by mid-April at the latest!
Please visit www.ColumbusFoot.com for more information or call 614-885-3338 (FEET) to schedule an appointment with a podiatrist in Columbus, Ohio. Columbus Podiatry & Surgery is located on the North side of Columbus, Ohio near Worthington.
Columbus Podiatry & Surgery has opened a new location in Gahanna, near Easton. Please call 614-476-3338 (FEET) for an appointment with a podiatrist in Gahanna, OH today.
