Acupuncture played a signficant role in the recovery of Pavol Demitra's shoulder injury. He missed a huge part of the 2009/2010 season with this injury. His medical team could not get him in "game shape", until he started using acupuncture.
"He's unbelievable. I don't know, but it seems like he has magic in his hands," Demitra said. "He's amazing. Every time he sticks a needle in my shoulder I feel relief. It just feels good."
Check out the article by Jason Botchford, The Province
Demitra expected to return tonight, thanks to 'magic' physiotherapist
Photographed by: Jason Payne, PNG
Pavol Demitra's body is spotted with bruises. He believes they are why his shoulder finally feels good enough to play. That's expected to happen against Pittsburgh Saturday, his first game in nine months.
Demitra gave the Canucks the thumbs-up Thursday and now needs to be medically cleared after Saturday's morning skate. It's expected to be a formality.
He will play on a line with Kyle Wellwood. It's unclear who will play wing with the pair as Steve Bernier remains out with a groin injury.
It's been a long road to recovery for Demitra, who had one shoulder surgery in May to repair his rotator cuff. Then, another surgery in the fall because things weren't healing. That was followed by an infection. It all left him questioning his career, and seriously considering the option to shut it down for the year.
"If you asked me 30 days ago, and I was honest with myself, I would have told you I was done, done for the year, at least," Demitra said. "That's where things were going.
"I was always getting to 80 per cent and I'd get a setback. That happened many, many times.
"I couldn't get past that 80 per cent and for hockey it wasn't enough for me to play."
The question isn't what saved him, it's who. Officially, Pavel Purdek is listed as a physiotherapist who works closely with the Slovak national soccer team. In Demitra's book, he's a Magic Man.
"He's unbelievable. I don't know, but it seems like he has magic in his hands," Demitra said. "He's amazing. Every time he sticks a needle in my shoulder I feel relief. It just feels good."
Demitra first made the unusual decision of returning to his native Slovakia so he could be treated by Purdek for two weeks in December. Then, he flew Purdek here for eight days, a trip that ended Wednesday. Demitra made all the arrangements and paid for Purdek to be in Vancouver out of pocket.
"It's much easier for me when I'm talking in my language," Demitra said. "He understood me in what was going on and I understood him."
Purdek brings with him a suitcase of alternative treatments. In particular, he relied on some acupuncture techniques to stimulate deep muscle tissue and cause a burning sensation. Purdek also relied on cupping during his eight-day stay in Vancouver. It's a traditional Chinese technique in which rounded glass cups are warmed and applied to an individuals bare skin to treat local problems and blood stagnation. The procedure left Demitra with bruises during Purdek's eight-day stay.
"You can see, I still have bruises everywhere," Demitra said. "All on back, my legs and of course on my shoulder.
"It really worked. He did a lot of different techniques and they all seemed to help me."
The pair have worked together for eight years. Demitra visits Purdek every summer. They will be reunited in a month as Purdek will be working with the Slovak national hockey team during the Olympics.
