Sports Injuries

Ankle Treatment

Cubs_Trainer-Matt_Johnson

2-5-2014

“I am excited about what I learned from Doc Shimmel’s treatment with compression bands & Flexband traction for ankle sprains. Looking forward to spring training to show the rest of the staff what I learned”

Matt Johnson

Assistant Athletic Trainer

Chicago Cubs

AKRON, Ohio – Sophomore Rob Brandenberg rolled his left ankle in practice Wednesday, and his status, although not publicly released, was up in the air prior to Thursday’s 76-75 win at Akron. It was an importnat game for both Brandenberg and VCU. The Rams’ shooting guard is from Gahanna, Ohio, about two hours from Akron, and a large contingent of friends and family would be in attendance. Meanwhile, VCU was playing a tough road game in a packed arena. If Brandenberg couldn’t play or would be severely restricted, it would be a significant setback for the Rams.

Although he did not start, Brandenberg played 23 critical minutes and provided several key buckets to spark the VCU win. He finished with 11 points and hit 4-of-6 shots from the field. A 6-foot-3 guard, Brandenburg could be seen wincing on occasion, but his play did not look like that of a guy with a bum wheel.

It turns out there was a good reason for that.

VCU’s strength and training staffs have, of late, subscribed to the treatments of Dick Hartzell and Dr. Michael Shimmel, who co-authored “Don’t Ice That Ankle Sprain!”. Hartzell and Shimmel write, in part, that icing an ankle actually impedes the healing process. Instead, they use a series of stretches and range of motion exercises with an elastic stretch band, which they claim greatly reduces recovery time. When Darius Theus rolled an ankle earlier this season, the Rams’ training staff used those methods at halftime to get Theus back in the game.

Hartzell is a Youngstown, Ohio native, while Shimmel resides in Stow, just miles from the University of Akron campus. VCU Strength and Conditioning Coach Daniel Roose remembered that the duo were Northeast Ohio natives and managed to contact Shimmel Wednesday night via e-mail. Shimmel volunteered to come to VCU’s hotel Thursday to run Brandenberg through an hour’s worth of treatments prior to the Rams’ game. The rest is history.