2008 Summer Olympic Games
A sprained ankle: Olympic service for Waldemar Hartmann, too!, 08/12/2008
Early on Tuesday morning at 12:45 loud calls for Bauerfeind were heard coming from the garden outside the German headquarters. The team physician for the women’s handball team came running into the orthopedic service station to fetch the members of the supply team, who were still working. “We need to get a rigid splint from you right away.” When asked who the athlete was, the answer was Waldemar Hartmann.
The ARD television personality, who hosts "Waldi and Harry in Beijing” together with Harald Schmidt, had sprained his left ankle, and the swelling was clearly visible. Diagnosis: a capsular ligament injury of the upper ankle.
Dr. Marcus Laufenberg, team physician for the women’s handball team, decided to use an AirLoc® from Bauerfeind as an immediate treatment measure. Experienced Bauerfeind staff members Joachim Boeckelmann and Katja Speth, who otherwise treat the German Olympians using supports and orthoses supplied by the Thuringian medical aids manufacturer, put on the U-shaped splint. “The AirLoc stabilizes the upper ankle and prevents it from twisting again. Above the air cushions alternating pressure is built up which reduces the swelling," explained the team physician to Waldemar Hartmann. The TV host let himself be treated by the Bauerfeind team and took the comments of the people standing around him, particularly Harald Schmidt and the ARD network team, with good humor. “I think that Harald tripped me up so that he could host the show by himself on Wednesday,” surmised “Waldi”. "Harry" then dryly replied, “I‘m already doing that now, Waldi!”. What he will say about Waldemar Hartmann’s little accident during the next show has not yet been decided. All we can say with any certainty is that from an orthopedic perspective, Waldemar Hartmann will be able to host the show.
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