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The Man Behind the Mask
By Meredy Fullen Many people watched on national television as the
Detroit Pistons triumphed over the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2004
National Basketball Association (NBA) championship finals.
Especially notable for his performance in the series was Detroit
Piston power forward Richard "Rip" Hamilton. While his
above-the-rim performance in the series certainly drew the
attention of the media, much of the hype landed on the clear
plastic protective mask that Hamilton wore because of recent
fractures to his nose.
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“Rip” makes a break for the bucket. Photo courtesy of the Detroit Pistons, Allen Einstein photographer. |
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Having suffered a fractured nose early in the
season, Hamilton suffered yet another in late February, which led
to nasal reconstructive surgery. If he had any hope of remaining on
the active roster for the NBA playoffs, with protection from
further injury, he had to wear a protective mask. Mike Abdenour,
team trainer for the Pistons, knew just who to call. "Jerry McHale
is an expert in his field. We were first introduced to him in 1989
when Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars suffered injuries to their hands.
Jerry's expertise in orthotics and the padded splints he fabricated
for them allowed them to continue regular season play just three to
four weeks after surgery in that championship year for the
Pistons."
Jerry McHale, CO, of the Michigan Hand & Sports Rehab
Centers, headquartered in Warren, Michigan, has a long history of
providing high-profile athletes with quality orthotic devices. In
fact, McHale was the orthotist to introduce the first clear plastic
facemask into sports medicine for protective purposes. McHale made
the original protective mask for Bill Laimbeer, another notable
"bad boy" of the Detroit Pistons, in 1990 after Laimbeer suffered
an orbital fracture that extended into his cheek. Abdenour recalls
his experience in working with McHale at that time, "We wanted
something a little different than the usual white plastic facemasks
that resembled those used in hockey. Jerry was the first to design
a clear plastic facemask and this served as the forerunner for
everything we see used today in sports rehab. Jerry's creativity
speaks volumes about the progressive-thinking taking place in
O&P. He is a genius at what he does." Abdenour says he receives
at least two inquiries each month from people around the world
asking where they can get the same sort of masks made for athletes.
"Our organization is considering adding a link from our website to
share Jerry's contact information with individuals seeking these
specialized orthotic services," says Abdenour.
Career Path Leads to High-Profile Cases
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Richard “Rip” Hamilton pictured with Jerry McHale, CO. Photo courtesy of the Detroit Pistons, Allen Einstein photographer. |
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Jerry McHale, who had been a certified orthotist
for nearly 20 years, just recently rejoined the orthotic field
following a four-year absence. In fact, he just recently received
word that he passed his board tests to be certified by the American
Board for Certification in Orthotics & Prosthetics (ABC), which
had lapsed in his absence from the field. McHale started his own
business, Orthotic Specialists, in 1987. After running the practice
for about ten years, he sold his facility to NovaCare in 1997. He
then left the practice and the O&P field altogether in 2000 to
pursue other interests.
An automotive safety restraints company employed him to study
lower-limb injuries caused by front-end collisions. He worked in
this position for three years before a downturn in the automotive
industry forced his layoff. McHale returned to orthotics in
December of 2003, when the Michigan Hand & Sports Rehab Centers
hired him to establish an orthotics department. He is also pursuing
a masters degree in biomedical engineering at Wayne State
University in Detroit. Having established himself in the orthotics
and rehabilitative field many years ago, McHale was happily
welcomed back by staff members at the Detroit Pistons organization.
He had worked with the Piston organization's injured athletes many
times over a 15-year period.
The Tedious Process of Fitting
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McHale turns on vacuum as Durr-Plex sets up. |
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McHale explained that clear plastic facemasks have
been used for many years by occupational therapists for burn
injuries to control scarring. McHale says, "Some people would think
that having the clear plastic directly against the skin without a
lining would irritate the burns; however, it actually provides a
closer and more intimate fit to aid in healing with minimal
scarring."
McHale describes the clinical process of making a clear plastic
protective facemask, "You first have to take a negative impression
of the facial area using plaster. It is very important to be
extremely accurate. I first place stockinette material over the
patient's hair, coat the face in Vaseline®, make marks on the
face with an ink pencil, for trim lines and landmarks, then begin
making the impression using plaster splints. I have tried using
other materials, but I find that plaster is sufficient for required
accuracy and is simple and easy to control. It usually takes around
20 minutes for the entire procedure."
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The mask is set and ready for trim and detail. |
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From that negative plaster impression, which looks
much like a mask of the patient's face at this point, a positive
model is made. This means that the practitioner pours a plaster
mixture into the negative model, allowing the plaster to set up.
Once the plaster sets up, and the negative model is peeled away,
the product is a detailed plaster impression of the patient's face.
McHale then takes an 18-inch square of 3/16" Durr-Plex plastic
material, which has been heated in an oven, and drapes or pulls it
over the positive model of the patient's face. This process forms a
clear mask over the entire face model that can be trimmed down to
the appropriate size for the patient's specific needs. The mask
usually extends from the tip of the nose to the front edge of each
ear and from the hairline to just under the nose above the upper
lip.
These masks can be used for nose fractures, orbital fractures,
or cheek fractures. The effectiveness of the mask is determined by
the fit. A total contact fit is typical except where relief is
needed for lesions or breaks in the skin. The key component is to
keep it simple, McHale notes. He further explains that many people
ask, "why no padding?" The mask is very effective without it. The
strapping system uses Velcro® and elastic which keeps the
system simple, so athletes can then change and adjust the straps
themselves when needed. According to McHale, this fabrication
procedure can be used to make custom eye goggles or protective
eyewear as well.
History of the Face Mask
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McHale removes mask from positive model. |
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McHale estimates that he has made several hundred
facemasks for other facilities around the world on a central
fabrication basis in his earlier days of practicing orthotics. He
recalls having made Hamilton's most recent nemesis, Kobe Bryant, LA
Lakers guard, a facemask in his high school years, via a central
fabrication order from an industry colleague who was treating
Bryant at the time.
McHale says that with the style of play in the NBA, Hamilton may
not have been able to continue his season without further injury to
his nose without the mask. According to McHale's account of the NBA
playoffs, "There were players on the opposing team that may have
purposely targeted Hamilton's nose in defensive play, just knowing
that he had been injured several times." In 1990, when Bill
Laimbeer suffered his fracture, which also required reconstructive
surgery, opposing teams' players went after his face with malicious
intent simply because of Laimbeer's "bad boy" role in the NBA. When
asked in a recent interview about the usefulness of the mask at
that time, Laimbeer offered this comment, "Following my
reconstructive surgery, the mask distributed the weight of any hit
and actually gave me confidence that I could stick my face into any
intense rebounding scrum and not get hurt."
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McHale shows a finished Hamilton mask. |
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Because of cosmetic concerns, Hamilton initially
was resistant to wearing the mask. Once he was convinced to follow
through, he did a complete turnaround, realizing the value of the
mask and the sense of protection it offered him while he had other
important tasks on which to focus.
According to McHale and Abdenour, the Piston's medical staff has
become a proponent for the protective facemask. Piston's medical
staffers hope that the NBA will accept and offer it to players
prone to facial injuries as a preventative measure.
Although Rip Hamilton was not available during the off-season to
offer comment on the usefulness of the mask, McHale believes
Hamilton expressed his feelings during the final minutes of the
championship game. "As he walked off the court, replaced by a
substitute with one minute to go in the final game, he removed his
mask, held it up to the crowd, and pointed to it with his index
finger. This gesture filled me with an overwhelming sense of pride,
knowing that I had something to do with his success in some small
measure," said McHale. 
Table Of Contents - October 2004
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