This post is for those too lazy to look up the difference between an ACL injury/tear and a hip labral/impingement injury. And Demko's double hip surgery in 2015.
For the record I have had both.
"Can I bend my knee with a torn ACL?
If you're able to put pressure on your hurt leg, you may notice that it's harder than normal to walk. Some people find that the knee joint feels looser than it should. Less range of motion. After you damage your ACL, it's very likely that you won't be able to bend and flex your knee like you normally would."
I had both MCL and ACL injuries and surgeries, a Gen II knee brace, an unloader, helps a lot but is bulky. When the injury happens the pain is excruciating unless it is a total detachment and then big pain then it subsides but the surrounding ligaments stretch and hurt like hell. But bending or twisting the knee is damaging to all the ligaments in the knee. Walking without a limp or bending your knee with weight on it is almost impossible and very painful.
"Hip labral tear symptoms include:
- Pain in the hip, groin or buttocks, especially as you walk or run, and sometimes at night when you sleep.
- Hip stiffness or limited range of motion.
- A clicking or locking sensation in the hip joint when you move.
Hip Pain: It often feels like pain in the hip or groin area and can be mistaken for an abdominal issue or a groin strain. Locking: A hip labrum tear can also show up as a clicking, locking or catching sensation of the hip."
"Can you still walk with a torn labrum in your hip?"
"Many people can walk with a hip labral tear. Some people feel no pain. Others can walk and move, but will feel noticeably uncomfortable. Even if you can walk, move or exercise with a hip labral tear, it might not be safe to do intense physical activity."
" Your doctor may also recommend cortisone injections to alleviate the pain associated with a hip labral tear."
2015;
"He had double hip surgery. He had an impingement on both sides, bone on bone, and he had torn labrums," said Thatcher's mom, Danielle Demko, "So it was both hips, and normally the doctor doesn't do both hips at the same time because the body can't handle all that trauma. When they tested Thatcher, they told him he was in such great shape, you can endure this, and Thatcher wanted to get both done and accelerate and be done with it and get back to playing."
This is a good article to read;
Ice hockey is a physically demanding sport involving rapid movements and specialized techniques, making it one of the most injury-prone sports.
www.americanhipinstitute.com
Which is more likely a chronic knee injury that lasts 2 1/2 years that is not operated on or the common goalie injury? An injury that most goalies know will be dealt with at the end of their career with hip resurfacing/replacements?
A push off and butterfly is the most stressful goalie move that can be put on a hip joint.
If you look at Demko's last save he pushes off and does the butterfly. When he gets up it is to one leg with the other on the ice, calls the ref over and leaves the game under his own power and without favouring either leg. Not like a knee injury.
Whatever the issue he will not have played more than 2 full games since March 9th over 6 months ago. His starts after long layoffs for his knee injury have been degrading.
I hope he can get back to playing his best BUT then a trade might be best.
