When great players like Sidney Crosby and St. Louis’ Adam Wainwright are injured, it is a blow to the team, the league, the sport community and fans. Although not often mentioned, it is very traumatic for the athlete.

It is never easy to win even if your best athletes are healthy and playing. Did you ever look at the list of injuries published each week for the NFL? It is huge. Is there a way that the number of injuries can be reduced or their effects to the player and team minimized? Yes, there is at least one way.

While always under the care of the team physician and/or trainer, athletes, since 1989, have been able to utilize a technique called PsychoNeuro Pain Response™ (PNPR™).[i] This technique has enabled them to eliminate their pain, improve their functionality, speed the healing process and return to play at a high level of performance, without surgery, manipulation or drugs.

CASE STUDY -- HISTORY

During a varsity game, a University of Ottawa hockey player was knocked head first into the boards. This resulted in an injury to the neck area. The team physician, Dr. Gary Greenberg,^[ii] immediately examined the player on the ice and determined he had sustained a significant neck strain. There was marked tenderness and spasm of the paravertebral muscles, with severe restriction of all ROM’s of the neck. Fifteen minutes later, after being removed from the ice, the player was examined a second time in the locker-room. No changes in his condition were observed. His pain level was 80 out of 100 and his range of motion was ten per cent of normal.

THE INTERVENTION

After the second examination, Dr. Greenberg asked a non-invasive pain management specialist (re: specialist), who had been working with the team, to see what he could do to help the athlete. He and the hockey player retired to the locker room to work. After approximately 30 minutes, they immerged and reported to the physician.

Dr. Greenberg examined the athlete for the third time. After the examination, Dr. Greenberg wrote:

“The athlete reported very little pain (without any medication being administered) and his ROM went from 10% of normal to 90% of normal.”

The day following the injury, Dr. Greenberg again examined the athlete for a fourth time.  He found only mild pain on extension and lateral flexion of the neck.  The forward flexion and rotation were totally pain free.  X-rays of the cervical spine were normal and the athlete was cleared to practice with the team that evening.

Dr. Greenberg went on to say:

“I have never seen such rapid improvement in an injured athlete’s symptoms during my 15 years of Sports Medicine practice.”

The athlete played on Saturday, the team’s next game, without any recurrence of pain or restriction of motion during or after the game. When the physician examined the athlete one week after the injury, the athlete was pain free with full ROM. No reoccurrence of the pain or ROM problem was ever noted.

SECOND CASE

The Hull (now Gatineau) Olympiques of the Québec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) had 10 players who were injured going into the playoffs. Five were expected to be able to play in a limited capacity and five were not expected to play at all. After flying in the specialist who used PNPR™ over 3-4 days:

 “All 10 players played in the playoffs and played superbly,” said Coach Mongrain.

During this process, the team doctor and athletic trainer continuing monitored the players authorizing that they were healthy and ready to return to play.

CONCUSSIONS

Concussions are a big news item these days. From my research, it appears that the focus has been on tools for diagnosing concussions.  Rest and Tylenol® seem to be the only treatments. The PNPR™ technique appears to be another option. It has quickly, safely eliminated the headaches, nausea and dizziness.

CASE-CONCUSSION

An athlete, who had a concussion for 3 1/2 weeks, went to the specialist. With medication, his nausea and dizziness was better but his headaches continued and were very painful. He was only attending two classes, in school, because of them. In approximately five minutes, the athlete was able to safely eliminate his headache. When he left specialist's office, 1 hour and 20 minutes later, he was still free of his headache.

During a follow-up session, two days later, he reported that his nausea and dizziness were gone. He reported, since the first session, he had had two brief headaches. One, he attributed to school studies. The other was different than his concussion headaches. The athlete was not sure why it came on, but he was quick to say that it did not last long. He felt so good; that he started attending a third class.

On August 24, 2011, five days after his second session, his mother reported that he was cleared to participate in his sport (x-country, non-contact). This reduced his healing time by approximately four weeks. Originally before his first session, the athlete told me his doctor said he would be unable to participate for six more weeks.

On August 31, he reported that since his second session, he has not experienced any nausea, dizziness or headaches. Able to concentrate better, he is now taking five classes and preparing to add another.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Raymond J. Petras’ expertise is in the areas of sports psychology (performance) and injury management. He has helped amateur, university and professional teams and individuals improve performance, deal with injuries and win championships. Dr. Petras is available for individual or team consultation.  He may be reached at 1.888.447.1429 or by email drpetras@reliefforyou.com. More information is available on his website <www.reliefforyou.com>, blog.reliefforyou.com or YouTube.com (type relief4u2 in the search bar), Twitter @relief4u2

©Raymond J. Petras 2011