Dr. Allan Horowitz, published newspaper article, Richmond Hill Liberal, Copyright August 23, 1988
Question:
Now that hockey season is here I think it is time you started answering questions dealing with our national sport rather than those boring American sports which you have been writing about. Football, boxing, basketball and baseball are fine for some but we all know that the only real Canadian sport is ice hockey. (I don’t think that lacrosse even deserves a mention.)
I am a 19-year-old left winger and for the past two seasons I have been suffering from what my team trainer says is a hip pointer. I don’t remember how this happened but he said I must have bruised it during a game or practice.
I rested for most of the summer but now that I am practicing again my hip is beginning to hurt and it is very painful. The trainer keeps telling me to apply ice but I would like to know how I can recover from this thing once and for all.
Answer:
You sure are complaining a lot for a big, rough, tough, Canadian hockey player. I don’t think a lacrosse player would let a little thing like a hip pointer interfere with his play.
In the interest of our so-called national game, I’ll give you a few tips to get you back in shape so maybe one day you will guide our beloved Maple Leafs out of oblivion (or wherever they are these days).
A “hip pointer” is usually nothing more than a bruise of the iliac crest (pelvic bone). This bone is very susceptible to injury because it protrudes and is not covered by a thick layer of muscle like other bony areas.
The first step is proper diagnosis and an x-ray should be taken to rule out pelvic fracture. Symptoms of a bad bruise may mimic those of a fracture – pain when coughing, local tenderness and inflammation, numbness and tingling around the hip and down the thigh, and limited hip motion.
Immediately after the hip is injured, cold and pressure should be applied until the local hemorrhaging has stopped. Usually after one to two days, rehabilitation may be started and this should include hydrocollater packing, ultrasound, electrical stimulation and exercise.
The exercise should be aimed at increasing the range of motion in the hip, thigh, gluteal and low back muscles. Aspirin may be taken if needed for the pain. Pain is the determining factor when deciding when to let an athlete return to action.
If he can run, turn, twist, change directions and has a full pain-free range of hip motion, then it is safe to return.
When returning (even to practice) the athlete should wear protective padding over the injured area even if the pain is gone. This may be where you went wrong. These type of injuries may take up to several years to fully heal and if they are aggravated even slightly during this healing phase, then the cycle of pain and inflammation may begin all over again. Cut up an old shin pad or shoulder pad and use the felt or foam padding to cover your hip area while you are practicing or playing.
If you follow my advice and you still have pain, then consult a professional. If all else fails, you can always take up another sport such as football or lacrosse – these guys never get hurt!
Question:
My 16-year-old daughter has been getting headaches for the past month. They always begin about 1 o’clock in the afternoon and are always over her right eye. She doesn’t get them on weekends. Could this be serious.
Answer:
It might be serious but I doubt that it is. Pain anywhere in the body is an indication that something is wrong and my guess in your daughter’s case is that the problem is with her eyes.
Her headaches began one month ago (when school began), begin at 1 p.m. (after reading or looking at a blackboard for a few hours) and don’t occur on weekends (no school).
The first thing you should do is go to an ophthalmologist or optometrist and have your daughter’s eyes examined. If her eyes are normal then a visit to a chiropractor or your family M.D. should reveal the cause of her headaches. It is very improbable that her headaches are being caused by a serious condition because these conditions do not take weekends off.