The Original Sportsdiva’s Weblog

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck.

On February 12, two players on the Philadelphia Flyers suffered concussions. The progresses of their recoveries have been wildly divergent.

Flyers’ Captain Keith Primeau’s injury initially was variously described as having his “bell rung”, having “a headache”, a “knee injury,” and “fatigue.” Primeau actually considered playing in a game February 16 and the team was said to be leaving the decision up to him, all the while trying to pretend he didn’t have a concussion. It is now March 29, and he hasn’t played yet. In fact, he hasn’t gone for any appreciable time without symptoms.

On the other hand, Jeremy Roenick, who also suffered a shattered jaw at the time, was diagnosed immediately with a severe concussion. The combination of his serious jaw injury and the fears of more serious brain injury kept him resting for some time. Could it be that the knowledge that there was no point in his trying to rush back, because the jaw injury would keep him sidelined, helped him get the rest he needed for the concussion to heal?