According to the Pittsburgh Penguins website, team captain Sidney Crosby will meet this week with chiropractic neurologist Dr. Ted Carrick.
Crosby first sought out Dr. Carrick back in August while recovering from his initial concussion. Carrick -- the founding father of “chiropractic neurology” at Atlanta’s Life University -- uses somewhat unconventional methods in the treatment of concussions, especially with regards to balance and motion, two areas Crosby said he was having issues with during an interview on Friday.
Here’s a snippet from a MacLean’s magazine profile of Carrick:
The method used by Carrick and his colleagues is notably different from the current “rest and wait” approach endorsed by an international consensus group, which recommends patients refrain from any physical or mental activities until all symptoms have disappeared. Then they slowly reintroduce activity, but if symptoms resume, they revert to the “rest” stage again.
Carrick encourages his patients to rest immediately after the injury occurs, but then incorporates stimulation into the treatment, based on a “thorough neurological exam” that pinpoints their particular problems or symptoms as well as what brain functions are most viable. The stimulations might include eye or balance exercises, multi-tasking activities or body rotations. “We tailor our treatments very specifically to the individual,” says Carrick. “When we have an area that’s not working right, we look at other areas that can compensate for that if we need to, or we look at mechanisms to make those areas work right.”
Crosby joined the Penguins in Washington last week and traveled with the team to Florida, but did not return with the team to Pittsburgh -- instead, Crosby opted to meet with Carrick, who has practices in Florida and Georgia.
“Sidney has made a lot of progress but he is still having some symptoms, so this is the next step in his recovery,” said Penguins GM Ray Shero. “Obviously he won’t be back in the lineup until he is symptom-free.”
For more on Dr. Carrick and his methodology, check out this Inside Hockey profile from CBC Hockey Night in Canada’s Elliotte Friedman.