GREENSBORO — There's been a lot of conjecture about why Ty Lawson's jammed right toe swelled up so badly after UNC's regular-season finale at Duke on March 8. The UNC point guard revealed one possible reason Saturday night: epsom salt.
“That was probably our fault,’’ Lawson said after he scored 23 points during UNC's 84-79 victory over LSU. “My dad, he was like, ‘Put it in hot water and Epsom salt.’ It’s an old remedy, old school, so I was like, ‘All right, I’ll try it. But then it swelled up real big, and I told the doctors, and they just looked at me like I was crazy. I won’t do that again – I’ll just ice it from now on.”
Lawson missed three games before returning for the second-round NCAA tournament game. He said he's confident his toe won't react as badly this time -- and that he'll stay away from those old-school remedies.
Robbi Pickeral has covered ACC sports for The News & Observer since 2003. She can be reached at 
Comments
before medicine....
Sun, 03/22/2009 - 11:20 — UNC1998folks just prayed.........and used epsom salt. Nice way to tough it out, Ty. Keep up the hard work, and faith in modern medical science.
Epsom salts work.
Sun, 03/22/2009 - 13:07 — JPDOhioAt least according to my wife, the medical expert in our family. But only for the right malady and apparently not for a bruised and swelling toe.
Don't listen to your father, Ty.
Sun, 03/22/2009 - 10:51 — JPDOhioAt least when it comes to medical advice. When I was playing baseball in high school, one of my coaches told me to use a heating cream (I think Absorbeen Jr) on my sore arm. I spent a night in agony and it only got worse.
So follow the orders of the doctors and trainers, Ty. Your team's championship hopes depend on it. Your dad's job is to support you from the stands.
Ty Lawson
Sun, 03/22/2009 - 07:11 — jaytee103Ty Lawson is GREAT! He's the straw that stirs the CAROLINA cocktail. However, he is on the campus with some of the finest medical minds there are in the country. Why would he consult his DAD, whom he loves, I'm sure, about an injury. Dad, I'm old school too, and epsom salts was used for many an injury in my day, but those don't seem to work any more. Ty, go ask the doctor when you're hurt. Dad, he loves you but your advice this time was not on the mark.