Dr. Allan Horowitz, published newspaper article, The Liberal, Copyright 1987-1991


Question: My son gets a pain in both of his knees whenever he plays hockey. He is 15 and is a goaltender. Our doctor examined him and declared him 100 per cent fit but I know that my son would not complain about something like this unless it was really bothering him. His season has now ended but he is considering playing summer hockey or baseball if he can find out what is causing his knee pain. He is fine during the game or practice but within an hour after the game and for one or two days after, the insides of his knees are very sore. What could be causing this pain?

Answer: There are many different styles which goaltenders use to stop pucks and one of the most common among younger players is the ‘butterfly’. When using this style, the goalie stands with his thighs together but with his feet apart.

He is bent forward from the waist into a crouched posture. By assuming this position, the goalie can fall to his knees and then push up from his skates very rapidly. This style of play puts an excess amount of stress on the ligaments on the inside of the knees.

STRETCHING LIGAMENTS

Every time the goalie falls to the ice and springs back up again, he is stretching his knee ligaments. This action is harmful enough when done once or twice but when repeated 50 times in a game while wearing 40 pounds of bulky equipment the ligaments respond with a painful inflammatory reaction.

If your son uses this butterfly style when playing goal, it may be beneficial to have him change to a more upright posture with his thigh and shin in better alignment. A tight knee bandage might offer some support to his knee ligaments.

If he ices his knees for 20 minutes after each game or practice, the pain may be kept to a minimum.

Many baseball catchers have the same problem in their knees because their crouch behind the batter is similar to the position assumed by a hockey goaltender. If your son plans on playing baseball this summer persuade him to try a nice safe position way out in right field.

Question: I am a Grade 8 teacher and would like your opinion on a discussion I had with some fellow teachers. One of my coworkers claims that young teenagers should not sit at a desk for several hours at a time and then go to their gym classes as they are probably too stiff to warm up, participate in their class and cool down all in the one hour they are allotted. One of the other teachers stated that one hour of exercise is better than nothing and children of this age do not get stiff like us older people. My own opinion is that the gym class should be extended and the middle of the day is a good time for it as the kids will get some much needed exercise at a time in the day when their minds usually begin to wander. We are eagerly awaiting your response.

Answer: If the one hour gym period is properly utilized then it should be enough time. A 10 minute period for muscle stretching and warm-up, 30 minutes of planned activity and a five minute cool-down is a sufficient exercise period for young teenagers.

This class should be attended at least three times a week. The other 15 minutes should be used for changing into gym clothes, instruction and demonstration. It is not true that teenagers do not get stiff.

As a general rule, they are usually more flexible and less prone to tense, stiff muscles, however, even young children will feel stiff if they remain in one position for a long time.

GOOD IDEA

All schools should allow at least a five minute break every hour during which students can stretch their muscles and relax their minds. A gym class in the middle of the day is a good idea if it can be scheduled that way. This mid-day physical activity will also relax the students and allow for better concentration throughout their afternoon classes.