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.

Jalen Hurts now has a confirmed DVT and blood clots in BOTH lungs. Was the cleat injury the cause, or just one contributing factor? I have several questions.... His history of bilateral ankle injuries and surgeries. Could residual dysfunction have affected venous return? The calf trauma, prolonged flights and potential underlying clotting predisposition. Any history of COVID infection? And yes, his COVID vaccination history deserves consideration too. A 2026 study identified increased VTE consultations following certain COVID vaccines, including Pfizer, during a 28-day observation window. My approach to reconditioning has always been to examine the entire history, not just the latest injury. We shouldn't selectively exclude potential contributors simply because the questions are uncomfortable or challenge established thinking.

Calum Ritchie's injury looked relatively innocuous, and initially I was more concerned about his upper body. The Islanders confirmed a lower-body injury, and he appeared to favor his left leg leaving the ice. His left skate was elevated against the boards, with the knee farther away. Contact may have created valgus stress at the knee, raising concern for the MCL. Difficult angle to assess. Worth noting this is his third reported lower-body injury since October 2025.

Concerning left leg injury for Matias Maccelli against Toronto. The mechanism raises concerns for the MCL, ACL, meniscus and potentially the ankle syndesmosis. Worth revisiting his injury history. On December 23, 2022, Maccelli suffered a lower-body injury against LA. Initially expected to miss six weeks, he ultimately missed 17 games. The exact injury and side were never publicly disclosed. An MCL injury would be consistent with that recovery timeline, but remains unconfirmed.

We now know John Tavares' injury is lower-body, not upper-body, and he's listed as week-to-week. That designation is encouraging and makes a complete ACL rupture less likely. The replay was difficult to interpret, but I thought I saw brief right knee hyperextension, raising concerns about the posterior capsule or PCL. Others have suggested more valgus loading, which brings the MCL into consideration. A mild sprain involving one or more of these structures would be consistent with a week-to-week outlook.

From Olympic sprinter to spending 22 hours a day in bed. Beth Dobbin's story raises so many questions. A history of childhood epilepsy. COVID and Epstein-Barr virus (glandular fever) in 2021/22. Progressive neurological symptoms, fatigue and declining performance. Now severe ME/CFS. What triggered this deterioration? Was there an underlying immune vulnerability? Could EBV reactivation, COVID infection or even vaccination have played a role? And did continuing to train and compete accelerate her decline? We need to better understand these complex cases rather than simply treating the symptoms.

Unpopular opinion after years of working with professional athletes and everyday people: Reconditioning a 45-year-old with chronic pain, multiple injuries, a full-time job and little time to recover can be far more challenging than returning a 22-year-old professional athlete to play. I've done both. Prestige ≠ clinical excellence.