With the NHL playoffs on the horizon, the Dallas Stars received some unfortunate news when it was announced that forward Tyler Seguin will miss the next three to four weeks after sustaining an injury during a 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 17.
Seguin, 24, suffered a partial tear of his Achilles tendon when he got tangled up with Lightning defenseman Anton Stralman along the boards in the final minute of regulation, taking a skate to the back of the leg that severed 15 percent of his tendon.
On Friday, Stars general manager Jim Nill announced that Seguin had undergone surgery to repair the tear.
“They operated on him this morning and stitched him back up,” Nill told reporters. “He will be out 3-4 weeks and should be back for the playoffs. It’s as good a case scenario as it could be considering where he got cut. Fifteen percent is a small-grade cut, which is good news. Another 1/8 of an inch it probably would have severed everything, so it was as good of news as it could be other than it’s just really time to heal now is the biggest thing.”
At Delray Beach Podiatry, Dr. Ian S. Goldbaum, a podiatric physician and surgeon with over 30 years of experience, has seen numerous Achilles tendon tears throughout his career in medicine and has insight into Seguin’s recovery based on the information currently available.
“They most likely used a graft material while repairing the tear,” said Dr. Goldbaum, who has offices in Delray Beach and Boynton Beach. “The addition of this graft material facilitates wrapping of the tendon in order to allow the shredded strands a better medium for healing. This approach also leads to less scar formation.”
In addition to grafting material, Dr. Goldbaum also notes that it is more than likely that Seguin will undergo platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatments during his recovery process in order to expedite the healing of his tendon.
PRP is plasma that contains more platelets than what is typically found in blood. These platelets contain hundreds of proteins called growth factors which are very important in the healing of injuries. This process has become especially popular in recent years with famous athletes like Tiger Woods and Rafael Nadal using PRP to treat their injuries.
“PRP is very beneficial for injuries such as this,” said Dr. Goldbaum. “During this process, a doctor will take the patients blood and spin it. They take out the plasma part, which has all of the growth factors, so they can then use it an injection to heal the area faster. I’m not sure if they used that with (Seguin), but that procedure is a big deal today.”
Once he does return to the ice, Dr. Goldbaum notes that Seguin’s recovery won’t necessarily be 100-percent complete, pointing out that the Stars’ training staff will also likely play a large role in making sure that their star forward remains comfortable and effective throughout the playoffs.
“When dealing with a player that has had an Achilles rupture or an Achilles tear, a trainer will typically put a slight lift into his shoe or, in this case, his skate in order to relieve the pressure on the affected area whenever he pushes off,” said Dr. Goldbaum. “They’ll wrap, strap it, and give it more stability. That’s all you can really do.”
Seguin has 33 goals and 73 points in 72 games this season.
—
Follow Delray Beach Podiatry on Twitter @Delray_Podiatry
The content on this website is for informational purposes only. Do not rely or act upon information from www.DelrayBeachPodiatry.com without seeking professional medical advice. If you live in South Florida and would like a consultation with Dr. Ian Goldbaum, a podiatric physician and surgeon with over 30 years of experience, please see our contact information below:
BOCA/DELRAY
16244 S. Military Trail #290, Delray Beach, FL 33445
561-499-0033
BOYNTON BEACH
8198 Jog Road #100
No responses yet