ShareThisPittsburgh Penguins center and captain Sidney Crosby has left the team to see concussion specialist Ted Carrick in Atlanta.
From general manager Ray Shero's perspective, that and top defenseman Kris Letang being medically cleared to play after a concussion are equally welcome developments.
Shero calls Crosby's time with Carrick "a good thing."
Crosby said Friday that he is still experiencing some trouble with motion and balance. In August, while still recovering from an earlier concussion, Crosby was helped by Carrick, who is considered the pioneer of chiropractic neurology.
Shero said Crosby did not have a setback after skating Friday and Saturday, his first time on the ice since he left the lineup in early December because of a recurrence of concussion symptoms.
There always had been a plan for Crosby to check in with Carrick, who was out of the country until recently. Logistics made it easy for Crosby to go see him after traveling with the Penguins for weekend games in Florida.
Shero said there is no timetable for Crosby to return to the team, although it could be as early as next week, and that Crosby could go through specialized exercises and perhaps skate while under Carrick's supervision.
"Those (exercises) seemed to help him," Shero said. "We're very fortunate (Carrick) was able to do this."
Shero said he had dinner with Carrick in the fall and learned a great deal about the treatments Crosby had in the summer.
After Crosby was diagnosed with a concussion Jan. 6, 2011, it was determined that his injury affected his vestibular system, which is related to motion, balance and spatial orientation.
He was out for nearly 11 months before returning Nov. 21. In eight games, he had two goals and 10 assists. After a Dec. 5 game against Boston, Crosby was pulled from the lineup.
Letang is closer to playing. He was leveled Nov. 26 by Montreal's Max Pacioretty with a hit that broke his nose. He returned to score the overtime winner, but was subsequently diagnosed with a concussion and has missed the past 20 games.
(Contact Shelly Anderson at sanderson (at) post-gazette.com.)
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
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