Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Carl Gunnarsson has missed the past seven games with a sore hip and is now undergoing alternative therapy to rehabilitate the injury.
Leafs coach Randy Carlyle told reporters Thursday the defenceman has been meeting with a specialist in ART (Active Release Techniques), a soft tissue massage that focuses “on using hand pressure to release any trapped nerves or blood vessels.”
“I’m getting treatment, for sure,” Gunnarsson told the National Post after taking part in practice Friday. “I feel like it’s helping a bit. Keep doing that. Whatever it takes…It’s not rocket science. A guy working on it with massage, digging deep there and trying to find the right spots.”
Gunnarsson says his injury will be a maintenance thing.He’ll never be 100 % from it this season,but will come back when its manageable.
— David Alter (@DavidAlter590) February 15, 2013
“He’s had it done before and it seemed to help,” Carlyle told reporters. “We’ll have to see how it works out.”
Gunnarsson said his treatment has been going well but there remains no timetable for his return to the ice.
He is not expected to be in the lineup when the Leafs take on the Ottawa Senators Saturday night.
In seven games with the Leafs this season, the Swedish defenceman has one goal and two assists with a plus-2 rating.
