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Hockey is a fast, physical game with the potential for injury at every turn.
But while helmets, shin guards, elbow pads and leather gloves offer protection against body checks, stick slashes and careening pucks, they can't protect against microscopic invaders. Some of hockey's biggest stars learned over the past season that not only is their protective gear useless against bacterial threats, it actually provides a lush and fertile home to them. An early victim of hockey gear infection was Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Ed Belfour. He was sidelined early in the season after a cut on his finger from an eyelet on his skate became infected. What he thought was a minor nick soon festered into a severely swollen hand that required antibiotics and rest. In December, teammate Mikael Renberg suffered an even more serious infection after he cut his hand while tying his skates. The wound became infected and Mr. Renberg was taken to hospital with a 104-degree fever. Doctors discussed amputating the hand in order to save his life. Mr. Renberg said he was fortunate the team's athletic therapist got him to hospital quickly enough to avoid amputation, maybe even death. He, and some other players, now wear gloves while lacing their skates to avoid cuts or blisters. Around the same time, Boston Bruins star Joe Thornton was sidelined with an elbow infection. His elbow ballooned after he fell and injured it. Other players have also been felled by tiny opponents. In past seasons, Maple Leafs Steve Thomas and Jeff Brown both were out of the line-up with severe infections. Cuts are common and sweaty hockey gear, particularly dark, dank hockey gloves, are ideal factories for germs. Combine the two and you have a perfect recipe for infection. And while those injuries may seem unusual, even freakish, what's truly surprising is that they don't happen more often. Chuck Brown, New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal Copyright © 2003 Brunswick News Inc |