DocTalk

Lots of snow and ice in this part of the world courtesy of the Christmas storm of 2009. Fortunately for me, I'm at home shoveling instead of being in the ER. After major storms, we often keep an unofficial count of heart attacks v. finger injuries from snowblowers. Those of you from the southern states should ask about the mechanism of injury. Or you can read this week's web post, the last of the year.

I've been fortunate to visit with many of the people on the board this past year and please accept my thanks for allowing me to help (or not) with some of the medical questions that have come up in the sporting world this past year. Best wishes for 2010.

Peace,

Ben
www.MDdirect.org/blog

 

The body is not made to fly but that's what snowboarders do when they take off into the halfpipe. Twenty feet or more in the air requires a perfect landing and bad things happen when perfect doesn't happen.

This week's web entry talks about Kevin Pearce, the Olympic boarder, whose head hit the edge of the halfpipe and caused a shear injury injury to the brain. This is perhaps the most devastating injury the brain can sustain; there is no cure, only life support and hope that the brain can heal itself.

www.MDdirect.org/blog

 

This week's web entry bypasses sports and deals with the haiti earthquake and the lawsuits that continue in the Katrina aftermath. When a hospital dies, where do you go fro help?

If not for the earthquake, perhaps the story could have been Apolo Ohno shilling for an over the counter drug. What are the odds that an elite Olympian ingests anything that might upset training a month before opening ceremonies. If you're interested in that story, just let me know.

Ben

 

From the soccer thread, what say you Doc?

 

Reposted from soccer thread: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/January/DempseyInjuryUpdate.aspx

Back by end of EPL season.

 

It's not about knees, but this week has to do with the coaching carousel that is now happening with college and pro football teams. What does that have to do with medicine? Check the web. Thanks for reading.

www.Mddirect.org/blog

 

Too sad that injury intervened in the men's side of the Australian Open. Presumably, we know about Nadal's recurrent knee injury. It will be interesting to see what plays out with Roddick's shoulder. I have no special insight, but perhaps shoulder pain is masquerading another injury.

More on the web.

 

Doc -- are you working with the CBC for the Vancouver Olympics?

 

CTV has the contract for covering the Olympics ibn Vancouver and London. I'll be home this year watching the Games with the rest of the world. That said, I'm always around if people need help with any story background.

 

Aside from concussions and catastrophic heart conditions, orthopedic injuries tend to be in the spotlight and somehow Dwight Freeney's ankle has become a diva...if that's possible. More on ankle sprains in this week's web edition.

Thanks for reading.

www.MDdirect.org/blog

 

Just got off the phone with DocTalk.
Brilliant and incredibly helpful. Talk to him.