First-year medical student Brad Kasavana, left, and Dave Carrier, an MSU hockey trainer, examine a hockey skate after a presentation hosted by the Student Osteopathic Medical Association on Wednesday afternoon in Fee Hall. The skate has extra plastic added to the base for a player with one leg shorter than the other. The skate is similar to one that was altered for NHL player and former MSU defenseman Jason Woolley.
More than 10 years ago, a burning sensation spread down Jason Woolley’s leg during a routine practice with the Washington Capitals more than 10 years ago.
Woolley, a former MSU hockey player, was in his second year with the professional hockey team and hadn’t skated in three months, so he looked for answers where he felt most comfortable — MSU.
The Student Osteopathic Association for Sports Medicine brought Woolley and the MSU staff that treated the injury together Wednesday to explain osteopathic manipulative medicine — a treatment that Woolley said saved his career.
Lynn Brumm, a former MSU professor and an osteopathic consultant to the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, used the treatment after Woolley called MSU athletic trainer Dave Carrier for help.
“He had no injuries (while playing at MSU), so I didn’t have to really work on him,” Carrier said. “I looked at him and knew what the problem was, but said, ‘Let’s go see Dr. Brumm, the expert.’”
Brumm said problems with Woolley’s hip caused the pain that forced him off the ice for about three months and jeopardized his career. He spent about five minutes with Woolley during a session.
After the injury, Woolley donated $115,000 to the College of Osteopathic Medicine for its Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Laboratory in 2002.
Colliding with another player or slipping can cause areas of an athlete’s body to become restricted and no longer move normally, Brumm said.
“In sports, there are hundreds of different things that can happen because of the physical activity and motion,” Brumm said.
“Every sport has its unique characteristics of motion and physical performance. Usually with athletes, it doesn’t take a lot of treatments to fix them up unless there’s other complicating problems.”
Carrie Janiski, a student in the College of Osteopathic Medicine, spends at least two hours each week in the college’s laboratory, but only knew a small portion of the story behind Woolley’s contribution to the university.
“It was heartwarming to know that someone recognizes the difference that was made in their life by what we’re trying to do, and that we have the chance to go out, once we’re physicians, and make a difference like that in our patient’s life,” Janiski said.
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