20+ years in pro sport, rehab & performance. I look at injuries differently. Here I’ll break down: • Athlete injury histories • Complex & recurring injuries • Return to performance Not just WHAT happened, but WHY, and what might be getting missed.

This is impressive!

Could oxygen availability be an overlooked factor in concussion recovery? Interesting connection here to the emerging research on hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for TBI. Commercial flying reduces oxygen pressure, while HBOT increases oxygen delivery to tissues. Given the mitochondrial dysfunction and altered energy metabolism that can follow brain injury, it’s worth asking how changes in oxygen availability influence recovery. The research remains inconclusive, but I think this is an area deserving much greater attention.

Kirill Marchenko's injury mechanism raises concern for an MCL sprain, with the left knee appearing to undergo valgus stress as he falls. His skate wasn't fixed, which may have reduced the rotational forces through the knee. Encouraging that he attempted another shift, although he ultimately left the game. Worth noting he also missed time with a lower-body injury in February, but the location of that injury remains unclear.

Logan Thompson's injury history raises some interesting questions about his latest setback. In 2018 with Brandon (WHL), he suffered a leg injury, missed the final five regular-season games, returned for the playoffs and reinjured it in Game 2, ending his season. In February 2023 with Vegas, he suffered an apparent left-leg injury, missing 18 games. He returned in March, only to suffer another lower-body injury in his first game back. His rehabilitation subsequently stalled, with Bruce Cassidy acknowledging he wasn't responding well to the workload. He never played again that season. In April 2025, a collision forced him into the splits, leaving him unable to bear weight on his left leg. Now, another lower-body injury with apparent left-leg discomfort. We don't know whether these injuries involve the same structures, but the repeated setbacks following return to play are concerning. Is there an underlying issue with force production, load tolerance or unresolved deficits from previous injuries? Sometimes the injury isn't the entire problem. It's what remains after the athlete returns to play.

Is traditional physical therapy losing the ability to think outside the protocol? It's becoming increasingly similar to traditional medicine. Diagnose. Follow the protocol. Treat the symptoms. Repeat. More research. More technology. More certifications. But less curiosity? Are we treating individuals or simply managing diagnoses? N=1.

Assuming this is where McCann was injured, the knee-on-knee contact raises concern for an MCL injury. His history is particularly relevant. In April 2025, he underwent bilateral knee surgery to remove bone spurs after prolonged quadriceps discomfort. He later described significant muscle loss, difficulty jumping, and numbness and stinging when struck in the thigh. Persistent symptoms required another procedure in April 2026. Even if this is a new traumatic injury, his previous knee problems could complicate rehabilitation and may help explain the 10-week timeline.

Jared McCann reportedly seen on crutches and now expected to miss 10 weeks with a lower-body injury. No clarity yet on whether this was contact or non-contact. Worth noting his extensive lower-body injury history, including persistent quadriceps issues last season that required surgery.

We’re seeing more and more athletes making their own decisions about whether they feel ready to return to play.

I completely agree with this approach. Traditional "physical therapy" often follows the same model as conventional medicine, heavily focused on evidence-based protocols while leaving too little room for CURIOSITY and clinical exploration. The human body is not a collection of isolated parts. Global anatomical relationships matter, as do the deeply rooted emotional, psychological and spiritual connections to physical health. Research is essential, but it cannot explain every individual's experience. We need to remain curious, challenge our assumptions and recognize that healing is not always linear or easily measured. N=1 matters. Sometimes the individual in front of you teaches you more than the protocol ever could.

Josh Simmons' rehabilitation from a lumbar disc herniation raises some interesting questions. Despite reportedly showing improvement on MRI, his rehabilitation has plateaued, with ongoing difficulty progressing toward football activities. When we see this, I believe we need to look beyond the current injury site. Two previous injuries stand out: 2019: Missed much of his junior season in high school with an undisclosed injury. I'd be interested to know what happened. 2024: Suffered a non-contact left patellar tendon rupture requiring surgery. Now he's dealing with a lumbar disc herniation and left-sided leg symptoms, including reported weakness. Following a patellar tendon rupture, persistent quadriceps deficits, altered movement strategies and compensatory loading through the hips and lumbar spine can remain long after the tendon heals. Could these compensations have contributed to increased lumbar loading over time? And could they now be limiting his rehabilitation? We also have to consider the neurological component. Nerve irritation or compression can affect muscle recruitment and strength, even when imaging shows improvement. If symptoms settle with reduced activity but return as football demands increase, is rehabilitation addressing the entire picture or simply the injured disc? Improvement on imaging doesn't necessarily mean the athlete has restored the capacity to tolerate load.

Mathew Barzal played 81 games and scored 72 points last season. So why isn't his knee ready? Yesterday, I mentioned I was working on a deep dive. Here it is. His surgery was first reported as minor, with a reported six-week recovery. More than 20 months later, he's still managing recurring inflammation. Did Barzal fully recover, or simply recover enough to play? I explore the injury, the research and what I'd consider in his path back to NHL competition. reconditioninghub.com/insigh…