max pacioretty of the carolina hurricanes undergoes surgery for torn achilles
the hockey player suffered the injury in an off-ice workout on tuesday at the hurricane’s training facility in north carolina.
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max pacioretty, previously of the vegas golden knights waves as he celebrates the team's 6-2 victory over the minnesota wild. (photo by ethan miller/getty images) org xmit: 775655063
carolina hurricanes forward max pacioretty underwent surgery for a torn achilles, a procedure that will likely leave the winger out of the lineup for six months.
pacioretty suffered the injury in an off-ice workout this week at the hurricane’s training facility in morrisville, north carolina — just outside of raleigh where the team plays, according to the news & observer.
pacioretty’s injury comes less than a month after he was traded from the vegas golden knights to the hurricanes, and could put his new team in financial trouble with his $7 million average annual value contract.
“we still think we’re in pretty good shape but we’ll keep our eyes open,” waddell told the news & observer. “ … but we also think the player’s going to come back sometime during the second half of the year. you’ve got to have the cap space, too. you can’t just replace his whole salary.”
pacioretty, the former montreal canadiens captain, has a long history of significant injuries and only played 39 games last year for vegas, though he did slot 19 goals and 18 assists for a total of 37 points. in 2011, pacioretty was hit into the stanchion of the boards — where the glass turns a corner — by 6’9, 255lb zdeno chara. pacioretty suffered a concussion and a fractured vertebra.
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this week, cleveland browns all-pro kick returner jakeem grant
also suffered a torn achilles; there is no timeline for his return as of yet.
why is pacioretty’s torn achilles significant?
the achilles tendon is a cord that connects the back of your calf to your heel bone. it’s a fairly exposed and vulnerable part of the body, which is why some hockey players have adopted wearing tendon guards under their skates.
the tendon is known to rupture during sports, but can also happen to anyone — should they be so unlucky — according to the mayo clinic. when the tendon breaks, a loud pop and a sharp pain are usually associated with it, as well as sudden difficulty walking.
it’s possible to rupture the achilles by tripping, falling or twisting your ankle, the cleveland clinic writes. the injury is most common between the ages of 30 to 40-years-old, and men are more likely to suffer the injury as well.
how does the surgery for a torn achilles work?
during achilles tendon surgery, a cut is made in the back of the calf and the tendon is simply stitched back together — provided the tendon is ruptured. this condition is also known as tendinitis.
if the tendon is degenerated, a condition where swelling and small rips and cuts are found throughout the tendon, the doctor can remove the damaged area and replace it with tendon stitches, according to johns hopkins medicine.
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after surgery, the patient is likely to continue feeling pain in their ankle and foot for the next few days. about a week and a half after surgery, the stitches are removed and a new cast or splint may be provided.
soon after, the patient will be able, and asked, to move their ankle. this could be as little as two weeks or as long as six weeks, according to the u.s. national library of medicine.
most people are able to recover from a torn achilles in four to six months.
chris arnold is a toronto-based writer.
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