Helu’s Health: Ask the Sports Doc
At the end of Thursday night's game with Missouri, Husker running back Roy Helu came off of the field appearing to be a bit injured. Coach Pelini has since addressed Helu's health with his standard answer - "He's fine". But, since Coach has been more than a little reluctant to share injury information in the past and because other players sitting out practice and games have also been described as "fine", I'd rather dig just a bit deeper on this issue. To get some answers about this kind of injury, I sat down with BRN's sports injury expert, Doctor Bart Eastwood, and asked a couple of questions. Here is what he had to say.
Big Red Network: Helu came off the field with his arm at his side and holding his shoulder. What is your first impression when you see this?
Doctor Eastwood: These generally refer to an injury to the acromioclavicular joint (where your collar bone meets your shoulder blade). A player may often have extreme discomfort and want to splint the arm to their side after the injury occurs. The injury often occurs with a direct load applied to the top of the shoulder, being driven into the ground, or occasionally landing on an outstretched arm. The good news is these rarely surgical intervention. Surgery is reserved for only the highest grade injuries.
BRN: So, no surgery, usually. What is the typical course of treatment?
Eastwood: Two to four weeks are usually required before one is able to resume contact when treating AC joint injuries nonoperatively.
BRN: Is this comparable to the sprained shoulder that Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford suffered? Can you compare and contrast those injuries?
Eastwood: A shoulder sprain and separation are one in the same. Lesser degrees of injury involve tearing a portion of the joint capsule of the AC joint (a sprain). Worsening injury may involve disruption of the AC joint capsule and other supporting ligaments (coracoclavicular ligaments). This may result in a lot of discomfort and a promince or bump at the AC joint.
About the Doc
Bart Eastwood is an orthopedic surgeon living in in O'Neill, NE. A lifelong Husker fan raised in Grand Island, NE, he attended Nebraska Wesleyan University and medical school at Des Moines University.
His Orthopedic Surgical residency was completed at Ohio Univeristy/Affinity Medical Center, where he had the opportunity to work with Ohio University's sports medicine staff providing coverage of Frank Solich's Ohio Bobcats Football program.
Chicago, IL
10/12/2009
Thanks Doc!
This might be a whole other post, but what exactly is a shoulder “stinger?”
Is it the same kind of injury you described above, but just to a lesser extent or another issue entirely?
Can an average fan tell the difference between a stinger and a real injury by the way a player walks off the field or do I have to go to med school to know for sure? :)
10/12/2009
A stinger is a different injury entirely, and does not damage any actual shoulder structures. It is a stretching (neuropraxia) injury to the brachial plexus (where our nerves gather and cross after they have exited the neck). The player often experiences some pain, numbness, tingling and weakness. The good news is it usually resolves on its own without long term issues, but can benefit from some physical therapy. The player is allowed to return when range of motion and strength have been regained. A player with this injury may want to hold their arm at their side also, either due to pain or inability to move it. You may not need to go to medical school to tell the difference, but you do need to go so you can charge for it.
10/12/2009
Thanks for sharing this news and I always hate to see any of our guys get hurt in a game. I also went to Nebraska Wesleyan and nursing at Bryan Memorial Hospital.Hope he gets help in healing. God bless.
4/24/2012
Marshall,It was an honor to meet you at the Pike’s Peak Marathon Expo and to get your signed book. It was very groiacus of you and your wife, Heather, to take the time to visit a few minutes with each person that came by and to give a few words of encouragement and advice. That was much appreciated!I have read your book and was intrigued by how many amazing things you have accomplished! You certainly have an excellent work ethic and the drive to make your goals happen! From the title of the book it seems that you were running on empty for a long time, trying to find something. May I respectfully suggest that the void can only be filled by God. He is the only One that can give the peace that passes all understanding ! He alone can fill your life with joy and purpose. He has already blessed you with a wonderful wife who cares and ministers to you so lovingly. But the One who created you longs for you to have a relationship with Him, and offers you hope and life beyond this one full of pain and sorrow.On another note, I would also like to speak a positive word for a plant-based diet. There is mounting evidence that getting protein first-hand (from plants) rather than second-hand (from animals who make it from plants) is easier for the body to assimilate and you don’t get all the diseases and problems associated with meat (cancers, heart-disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, etc.). I do agree with you about keeping your diet balanced and simple. If you are open to doing a little research, there is a wealth of material out there. I recommend the book, The China Study by Dr. Colin Campbell. Dr. Neal Barnard has several books including Breaking the Food Seduction. The new movie Forks Over Knives is out of theaters and on DVD now an excellent view. You can also go to ForksOverKnives.com.Once again, it was very nice to meet you and your wife and I wish you well on whatever other goals you set for yourself!Linda