TSN has made their special on the use and abuse of painkillers in the NHL, a 30-minute production titled “The Problem of Pain,” available to viewers in the U.S., Canada and internationally, which is not the case of the the majority of their programming.
Former Red Wings defenseman Kyle Quincey, long-time Vancouver Canuck (and Livonia native) Ryan Kesler, long-time Anaheim Duck Bobby Ryan and former Ottawa Senators tough guy Zenon Konopka discuss their experiences dealing with both the chronic and acute pain that NHL’ers are exposed to on a shift-by-shift basis.
The Rick Westhead-produced piece is sobering.
Hockey players are praised for their willingness to play through injury – no matter the cost.@rwesthead presents The Problem of Pain, a year-long investigation into painkillers and the culture of pain in the NHL…
— TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) September 22, 2020
Viewable worldwide: https://t.co/fIE8PhiZI8 pic.twitter.com/3QxG83IqSf
Such a great, professional job reporting this piece. Thanks to @kenvolden, @TSNMattCade, Adam Fair, @CurryLeamen, @jamesjudges, @kfallsound, @GinoRedaTSN. Terrific team effort. https://t.co/FeIYZMFRLI
— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) September 23, 2020
“It was developed as a painkiller, a painkiller that was equally as potent as morphine… [it] was never meant to be used for more than 5 days at a time.”
— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) September 23, 2020
— Stanford University chemist Dr. Robert Greenhouse spent 17 years creating Toradol, a drug that’s popular in NHL circles. https://t.co/Cdzsq1schA
I’ve learned that the best thing any of us can do regarding a controversial issue that we’re curious about is to get informed as to the arguments for and against it, as well as the perspectives surrounding the issue.
I can’t speak negatively of NHL trainers and medical staffs, but this is an issue worth giving half-an-hour to if you do have the time.
This is some serious business. I was given mobic/meloxicam and my doctors made it VERY clear I shouldn’t be on it for more than a few days at a time. It was for some very bad inflammation in my sacroiliac joints that was causing all kinds of havoc for years. They gave it to me so i could take it for about 3 days to reduce things enough that I was able to do physical therapy to get things up and running again and hopefully counteract it from returning.
During the time before that I was pretty much imobilized. It has similar side effects with colitis and other gastro intestinal stuff be possible.
It is unacceptable if the team doctors are not putting the player’s health first and allowing them to make informed decision.