Hockey players are tough. You have to be tough to play a game where getting hit with a stick or a puck is just part of the job. I have seen hockey players getting their faces stitched up on the bench and then return to the game but I was very surprised to hear about Vancouver Canucks defenceman Kevin Bieksa. This guy suffered a broken foot bone when he was hit with a puck off the stick of one of his own teammates. The report is that he is likely to miss only ten games. That is amazing! Broken foot or toe bones take 6 weeks to heal. I don't care if you are a hockey player or not. This means that he will most likely be skating on a partially broken bone for up to a month.
Broken bones in the feet are very common. Twisting injuries, collisions with furniture and dropping things on your foot are just a few ways to cause this type of injury. If you injure your foot you should immediately get off of the foot and ice and elevate the limb. This is to decrease swelling. If the pain is severe or if it continues for more than a few days you should see your podiatrist or go to the emergency room. An x-ray is the only way to tell if the bones are truly broken. Many people believe that nothing can be done about a broken toe, but this is false. Splinting and protection in a special type of shoe is very important to insure proper healing and prevent possible arthritis in the future. If you come to see me with a broken foot I will put you in a protective boot and have you rest, ice and elevate the limb. I will also tell you no ice skating for 6 weeks...even if you are a hockey player!
Committed to your health,
Dr. Craig Conti
Sarasota Foot Care Center
http://www.sarasotafootcarecenter.com/
