Please Richards (and Morrow) Don't Hurt 'Em

by Brandon Bibb on Mar 14, 2009 8:47 AM CDT in News Comment 3 comments

Forgive the stretch on the title. Honestly, the title of M.C. Hammer's most popular CD was what came to mind.

What's that, kids? You don't know who M.C. Hammer is?

Go ahead and click the link. I'll still be here when you get back.

OK, getting to the actual point, I was reading Brandon's update from yesterday which included a link to Mike Heika's practice report about Brad Richards returning to the ice when one of the comments below caught my eye and proceeded to provide the impetus for this post.

For context, let's start with what Heika wrote:

Richards went out Feb. 16 against Columbus and the
original return time for his fractured wrist was 6-8 weeks. He said he
wants to be patient and do his rehab properly, and added that he has his
own ideas of when he might return. But he declared none of his plans
would mean he is out for eight weeks.

Which led to this point by Schtimpy27.

He’s got another 20 days or so (9 games?). I want him back as much as anyone, but the thought of risky permanent damage by pushing too much, too soon for a short term goal is scary proposition neither he nor the Stars can afford.

But he’s a beast and an amazing professional. He’ll want to be out there. Hopefully the trainers are as good as I hope they are. His wrist is one of his greatest physical assets.

Excellent point, because it's his right wrist that was fractured almost a month ago. Razor pointed out on his visit with The Musers that since Richards is a left shot, his right wrist has to roll through shots or passes since it's attached to the top hand on the stick. It certainly has to go through more of a range of motion than his left wrist has to.

As such, it's absolutely vital that Richards not push it and came back sooner than he should. Ditto for Morrow.

I'm sure the allure of another magical playoff run is...well...alluring. And I realize the Stars have had success against Detroit unlike any they've had in recent years, the Red Wings appear vulnerable with their suspect goaltending, and the Stars have had playoff success against the Sharks.

Still, form has held in both conferences in the first round since the lockout with the exception of that wacky 2006 playoff season where all four of the top seeds in the West lost their first round playoff series. And I'd hate for either Morrow or Richards to rush back only to reinjure themselves for what amounts to about a 20% chance of pulling off an upset, especially when the future in Dallas looks bright with so many good prospects coming up in the Stars farm system.

Rehab hard, guys. But also rehab smart.

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My understanding is Richards broke his ulna about an inch or two above the wrist. Assuming that is correct, there isn’t much risk of further damage to the bone other than re-breaking what has already healed. It would, or could depending on the degree to which the bone has healed, be painful, but one needn’t worry about risking permanent damage.

If the break was within the wrist, or the hand as in the case of Ott, there is a risk because one needs a range of motion in either joint/joints. But there is no range in motion in one’s forearm.

No, I’m not a doctor, but I have broken my arm twice in the same spot Richards did in oddly similar fashion. The biggest thing he’ll have to worry about is over-compensating for his arm, believing the bone isn’t as strong is it once was.

by Chad_ on Mar 14, 2009 1:00 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Good to know

Not knowing where the break was makes it hard to foresee potential future consequences. That whole range of motion is exactly what was of concern. But being a strong and healthy young man, a broken bone in the arm is not too terribly serious. When joints are involved… whole different story.

Being that he has never had a serious injury before, I don’t know how he heals. I can only assume that just the fact that he has never been seriously injured is a statement that he does heal fast and thoroughly. Hopefully the cast coming off so soon helps keep the muscles and tendons happy.

If anything, little cast time also helps cut down on unattractive and hard to explain tan lines. =)

by schtimpy27 on Mar 14, 2009 1:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Excuse me. Richards broke his radius, which is the bigger of the two bones in the forearm, not his ulna. The same range of motion idea still applies however, at least long term. He’ll have range issues in his wrist until he builds it back up, but who knows how long that will take him, likely not more than a month and likely not anything to worry about.

by Chad_ on Mar 14, 2009 1:38 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs