College Hockey Player Suffers Serious Skate Blade Cut Injury

The following, is from a college player who has taken the time to write about his skate blade cut  injury in order to show you just how serious  and dangerous skate lacerations can be.

My name is Stephen Servideo and I currently am finishing up my junior year and playing hockey at Connecticut College in New London, CT. Last season in December I was seriously injured in a game after being cut in the back of my left knee with a skate after checking someone against the boards by the bench. After being hit, the opposing players' legs were just about parallel to the ice as the hit lifted him over the boards which were only about waste high. His skate kicked forward after I hit him and severed the popliteal artery, the gastrocnemius and popliteus muscles and several sensory nerves and veins in my leg.

I was lucky that two of my teammates fathers' were doctors and immediately came over, cut all of my bottom equipment off and wrapped my leg in a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. It was a very serious injury as I lost about 1/3 of my blood and had to have surgery immediately after being taken to the emergency room to repair everything in my leg. I underwent serious rehab for many months leading up to this years season to get things back to normal. Even today I still feel the injury as it is in such an crucial spot at the back of the knee and was so severe. There is still a lot of scar tissue left from the injury making it tough to bend, lift and exercise but I have progressed a lot since the injury. Being able to play this year was a major accomplishment for myself as many people doubted that I would ever be able to play in another game again.

I have made extraordinary progress on and off the ice as far as strengthening my leg and getting things up to par so that I can participate in everything I was able to before the injury occurred. Since the skate severed many sensory nerves in my leg, I do not have any feeling from the knee down in my left leg. It is something that I have gotten use to since the injury and I guess if it was to cut any nerves it is better to cut sensory which controls touch, versus motor which controls movement. It is crazy to think that a hit that I have made so many times throughout my hockey career could have resulted in this injury.

I have been beginning to notice more and more injuries involving skate blade lacerations occurring in all different levels of hockey. These skate lacerations are extremely dangerous and I think it is great that you have developed such products to help protect players from being seriously injured. These lacerations are not accidents and are becoming one of the most dangerous injuries in sports. By educating people on my injury I would hope that they realize the dangers of skate lacerations and that they will use companies such as yours (Hogan Hockey) to protect vulnerable areas on the body that are not covered by equipment.


Not many people think these injuries can happen to them but after going through such a serious injury, it is definitely not a risk anyone should take. These injuries are so serious that they can be fatal and it is not worth taking the risk when products such as yours exist. I have attached an image of the laceration which required 15 sutures across the back of my knee.  To view: see Skate blade lacerations page

Steve Servideo 
 UPDATE
**Introducing our second generation ACHILLES® cut-resistant gear. For information please contact Wingman Sports 1-289-231-1021 / 1-905-716-7227 or email: wingmansports@rogers.com

The XH Series Achilles® Skate Sock, Hybrid Sock(footles), Wrist Guards, Goalie/Player Underwear, and Referee Shin Tights are being worn by hockey players from the grass roots level on up to the Pro's. Providing the added benefits of cut-resistant  cut protection and peace of mind .

Hogan Hockey has been providing players with cut-resistant protection options since 2010.

 All Hogan Hockey ACHILLES® products are cut-resistant and not cut-proof, they are intended to be worn for hockey only.


                                           Play Smart....Protect yourself from CUTS!!

 For secure online purchasing or more info,  visit (hoganhockey.com)


EMAIL: info@hoganhockey.com

            
EMAIL: wingmansports@rogers.com

                                  

A Parent's Guide to Cut-Resistant Skate Socks

 UPDATE

**Introducing our second generation ACHILLES® cut-resistant sock. Worn by the Pros. For information please contact Wingman Sports 1-289-231-1021 / 1-905-716-7227 or email: wingmansports@rogers.com

 

ACHILLES® cut-resistant skate socks, “the equipment has received clearance from the NHL for use in NHL games.”

 

What are cut-resistant skate socks?

 

Cut-resistant skate socks are protective socks that can be made from a variety of highly cut-resistant materials, blended with a mix of supporting materials to enhance the socks stability (shape retention, comfort), breathability (moisture wicking material) as well a host of other materials specific to each brand. The socks provide additional protection from accidental skate blade cut injuries to the Achilles tendon and calf area. Protection may vary from brand to brand and will be dependent on individual brand manufacturing, composition, as well as sock length.
 
Who needs cut-resistant skate socks?

 

Although they are not yet mandated by hockey governing bodies, any child/player who plays the game of hockey is potentially at risk from being accidentally cut by a skate blade. These cuts can range from being minor to devastating. Any time a child/player is left exposed there should be concern. With today's skates being more rigid, including the back tendon guard, the Achilles tendon and surrounding area can be left vulnerable. Skate blade lacerations to the Achilles tendon can be very serious and do occur at all levels. Therefore, anyone who plays the game should at the least be considering these cut-resistant skate socks for added protection.

Are they really necessary?

Accidental skate blade cuts in hockey do happen. Our approach has been to educate you to the facts that these cuts can be very serious, and that there is protection available.  Many parents are just now hearing about cut-resistant hockey protection after Erik Karlsson's severed Achilles tendon became headline news. While others (see My son's injury) have already seen the devastation of serious skate blade injuries and just how catastrophic they can be.  At this time, wearing cut-resistant gear is a matter of  individual choice.  It should not take serious injuries like those of  Christian's or Erik's, or even worse....a fatality before cut-resistant skate socks and other products are looked at as a preventative measure.

Hogan Hockey has been a pioneer in the development of cut-resistant hockey products. We are particularly concerned for your safety and have developed cut-resistant hockey products for players, goalies and referees.



UPDATE
**Introducing our second generation ACHILLES® cut-resistant sock. Worn by the Pros. For information please contact Wingman Sports 1-289-231-1021 / 1-905-716-7227 or email: wingmansports@rogers.com

ACHILLES® Cut-Resistant Skate Sock

• ACHILLES® skate socks are made with a high performance cut-resistant HPPE fiber which provides protection from skate blade lacerations.
• High performance cut-resistant fibers pull heat away from the body.
• Mesh zone on top of the foot gives added ventilation combined with a non-obtrusive toe seam for maximum comfort.
• Naturally anti-microbial.
• Sock color is white & black with our ACHILLES® and Hogan Hockey™ logos, plus the size stitched into every sock for easy pairing when laundering.
• Sock sizing is based on shoe size.

CUT-RESISTANT PROTECTION for hockey is what we do!! 

            

All Hogan Hockey ACHILLES® products are cut-resistant and not cut-proof, they are intended to be worn for hockey only.

Play Smart....Protect yourself from CUTS!

Be sure to stay tuned to Hogan Hockey for more firsts in cut-resistant hockey innovations.

The Legendary Jacques Plante

The innovator who dared to be different

Legendary hockey goaltender Jacques Plante was truly a unique man, a pioneer of the game. Plante broke with tradition and changed hockey forever with his most recognizable innovation (the goalie mask). He started wearing crude fiberglass prototype masks in 1956 while practicing, although not during regulation games as his coach Toe Blake was against him using a mask. It was on November 1,1959 playing against the New York Rangers when Jacques changed the game forever. After being hit in the face by a shot from Andy Bathgate, Plante made his way to the Canadiens dressing room for stitching. Upon returning to the ice after a twenty one minute delay he was wearing a crude mask and coach Toe Blake was furious. Jacques refused to play unless he was wearing the mask. Blake had no other choice without back-up goalies at that time other than to let Jacques wear the mask and agreed upon the condition that the mask was to go when the cut healed. The Canadiens went on to win the game 3-1.

It was at this time that Plante decided that these facial injuries could be prevented. Even  amongst ridicule from his peers,  Jacques refused to remove the mask and the Canadiens went on to an incredible 18 game unbeaten streak. Blake didn't seem to mind. Although, during a game against Detroit on March 8, 1960 Blake requested the mask come off and the Canadiens lost 3-0. Following that game the mask returned forever. Plante was the first goaltender to consistently wear a mask during regulation play, paving the way for goaltenders today. 

Jacques Plante retired from hockey in 1975. He moved to Switzerland while remaining active as a goaltender trainer, adviser and analyst. In 1978 he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Sadly in 1985 Plante was diagnosed with terminal stomach cancer. He later died in a Geneva hospital in February 1986 and was buried in Sierre, Switzerland.

Jacques Plante dared to be different, going against traditions to become one of the greatest innovators in the game. Through his courage and determination Plante changed hockey forever. The time for change had come and Jacques took it head on. Many of Jacques' immense contributions to hockey as an innovator and player remain today. Dare to be different.

 

Hogan Hockey has been a pioneer in the development of cut-resistant hockey products. We are particularly concerned about skate blade injuries. These types of injuries are the results of accidents and can be prevented or minimized. Since inception our products have been worn at the Pro, Junior and Collegiate levels. These elite players have given our products validation by choosing to wear them for their combined benefit of comfort as well as protection. Wearing any of our  XH SERIES ACHILLES®  cut-resistant products will help reduce the risk of these types of injuries before they happen.

 Play Smart....Protect yourself from CUTS!!

 

ZACH REDMOND TAKEN FOR SURGERY AFTER SKATE CUT

Defenceman Zach Redmond of the Winnipeg Jets underwent surgery early Thursday after yet another skate blade cut accident during a practice. Zach was rushed to a Raleigh area hospital where it took surgeons approximatley three hours to repair a laceration to his right femoral artery and vein in his mid-thigh region.

The Winnipeg rookie was accidentally cut by a teammate’s skate blade during practice. As quickly as the scene unfolded Jets players and staff rushed in to help Redmond as blood pooled onto the ice around him.

Redmond's injury will keep him out indefinitely. Media is reporting that Zach is "currently resting comfortably in recovery". This coming just over one week after Sen's defenceman Erik Karlsson's injury from a skate blade laceration to his Achilles tendon. Karlsson is expected to miss the remainder of the season.
                                                                                                
Our Achilles® XH SERIES® cut-resistant hockey products were designed to help protect the vulnerable areas. Playing hockey involves risks which may sometimes include skate blade lacerations to the exposed Achilles tendon, wrist, calf, thigh and hamstring. All of our Achilles® products have the specific benefits of safety as well as comfort. Be proactive and not reactive!

  All Hogan Hockey ACHILLES® products are cut-resistant and not cut-proof, they are intended to be worn for hockey only.


                                           Play Smart....Protect yourself from CUTS!!