Since he first learned how to skate, Rico DiMatteo dreamed of playing in college or professional hockey. But those dreams were nearly dashed after he experienced a torn labrum while playing for the Lone Star Brahmas hockey team in North Richland Hills.
"It was bothering me for almost four months but I knew that surgery would be my last resort," DiMatteo says.
For DiMatteo, 19, a goalie for the Brahmas, the chance to play and earn interest from a Division I college — much less catch the attention of a pro scout — was in jeopardy when he experienced the torn labrum in his left hip. Such an injury severely limits lateral movement.
DiMatteo was referred for an orthopedic consultation and diagnostic imaging.
Following an MRI and evaluation, Minn H. Saing, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Medical City North Hills, prescribed a treatment plan to keep DiMatteo out of the operating room.
"The treatment for a torn hip labrum is a growing field of orthopedic medicine as it is a fairly common condition in high-level athletes, particularly ice hockey players," Dr. Saing says. "My goal for Rico was to offer him a treatment option that would give him some immediate relief and also allow him to continue playing."
The preferred protocol is to receive a cortisone injection followed by physical therapy.
"Surgery is always an option but not always the best option for an athlete mid-season. By treating Rico with a cortisone shot, we are giving him a chance to see if his pain and symptoms will resolve with conservative management," Saing says. "Not all hip labral tears need to have surgery."
While not a common injury in the general population, labrum tears are more often seen in those competing while using hard, powerful movements.
After his injections, DiMatteo also received physical therapy at Medical City North Hills, which is an important component of the recovery process for injury or post-surgical patients.
"Rico came in with an injury which had progressed to not only affecting his hip, but was also causing him some pain in other areas," says Deb Wichterich, DiMatteo's physical therapist. "Therapy was focused on finding and correcting the cause of his symptoms including assessment of not just his hip, but also other related body areas."
Therapists assist with recovery by instructing and educating patients to strengthen weak areas, stretch tight areas and strengthen the body in functional ways related to the individual's daily tasks or sporting activity, Wichterich explains. Manual therapy, or hands-on therapy, is frequently used to correct mechanical issues and assist in the healing process.
"I'm 100 percent a true believer," DiMatteo says of the non-surgical route that got him back on the ice again, helping lead the Brahmas to near the top in their league standings.
He also achieved another milestone — receiving a scholarship offer to play hockey for Northern Michigan University.