Chron: Mcgrady Receives a Shot in his Back

Well, I'm pretty unclear on it.

I mean, the article says,

So that sounds like he only has one injury. Then it says,

I don't get it.

 

I think the injury(portland fall) may have caused some inflamation to maybe the disc, hence the injections to reduce the inflamation wherever it is occuring
and his chronic injuring i take it is the bulging disc and the back spasms as a result of the disc
i think thats what theyre saying

 

i don't know if this has been discussed here but here's what one guy over att an orlando board said:
"I am a rheumatologist and I mentioned several times before that Mcgrady had disk disease. Its not suprising this has happened. Tmac is damaged goods and Houston will rue the day it traded for tmac. Lumbar Spondylosis is the medical term and it typical is a chronic relapsing problem thats gets worse with age. The trade outcome is still yet to be fully measured but it looks like Orlando has gotten the better end of the deal with Darko ,Arroyo and Penny cap space for Tmac Francis and next years number one."

and this is from another guy who has some inside info on the magic from time to time in response:
"That is exactly what my wife said. She said it will be worse than Grant HIll, becuase there is NO SURGERY to cure it. There is only surgeries to help get rid of the pain and most of the time you end up having to have the disk fused. Whcih would mean no more career.

I know this is one MAJOR reason the Magic were really not looking forward to having to sign TMAC up to a huge deal."

have the rockets talked about t-macs problems as a disease?

 

What does this mean?

 

So if I'm reading correctly he already had the bulging disk/spasms.

And I'm taking it that the surgery option would be for the the bulging disk.

So exactly what is the injury that happened against Portland?

 

I'm really surprised there isn't more interest in this. At this point it is the crux of the Rocket's success and future. Everything depends on it.

 

Have they talked about it as a disease - of course not. The NBA as a whole covers up health issues like this all the time. No fan would react well to hearing that Superstar X is playing on borrowed time. TONS of players are just quietly patched up until they just can not physically go anymore (Houston, Penny, Webber, Pippen, Mashburn, Larry Johnson, Tim Hardaway, etc). So many guys end their careers playing with no cartilage in their knees, no mobility in their ankles, and end up with artificial joints in their 40s.

What they're saying about McGrady is mostly right, if exaggerated a bit. Degenerative disc disease isn't going to take McGrady out of the league in the next year or three. However, he does have a bad back, and a bulging disc is NOT something that will just go away with rest. The injections and rest will make so that it's not killing him day-to-day, but the second he starts balling again, it will come RIGHT back. The cortisone shot they gave him is NOT going to solve the problem, just allieviate the nerve pinching.

Surgery will have to happen eventually, in all likelihood. I have a hard time believing hee'd have the disc removed and vertebrae fused - that's Orlando bitterness talking. A paritial laminectomy or microdisectomy would involve going in and "shaving" off the bulging portion of the disc so it won't pinch his (sciatic) nerve anymore. The major downside of this is the surgeons have to tear open his lower back muscle to get at it, and that will lead to a painful rehab. Very few athletes can fully return to form after major back work, and there is a possiblility of it robbing McGrady of his athleticism (see: post-Grandmama incarnation of Johnson, Larry).

Evan

 

In that case, we will at least have a guy can consistently knock down wide-open shots when Yao is double/triple teamed.

 

that is seriously depressing if that is McGrady's fate.

 

Wow. I also have some bulging disks and I thought that is type surgery he would likely have too. I just didn't know how the surgery would affect him overall.

There is also that treatment where they stretch you out trying to get the disk to go back in place. I wonder if that is an option.

What exactly was the Portland injury?

 

He came down awkwardly after a jumper and reaggravated the problem. I believe he originally developed the slipped/bulging disc after falling hard and flat on his back Nov 4th during practice.

Evan

 

I thought the two were not related?

 

Those were not related to back spasms that he's dealt with over the course of his career. But I'm pretty sure those two (Nov 4, Mar 5) were concerned with the now bulging disc. I may be wrong though. It's always hard to tell when the team doctors/coaches/trainers/spokespeople (this goes for all of pro sports) make a habit of lying, spinning, and brushing injuries under the rug.

Example: I still remember when Webber fell apart in the 2003 playoffs with "a jammed knee" and that summer the team very quietly disclosing that he was having "minor" surgery. Only it slipped out that part of his "minor" knee operation was microfracture therapy, which sent off collossal red flags for me.

It is my understanding, from Portland doctors speaking off the record (no links possible) that Pippen had a degenerative back condition that they were keeping quiet (anyone else remember how after his back issues during the final Bulls run he never did seem to run the court again?).

Evan

 

wow, this is a sad day if true about it being a disease.

 

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is far from true. Tmac hurt his tailbone in POR

He had back problems since ORL.

In the Nov practice he was low bridged and knocked on his back.

 

I think it is obvious that we need durable superstars/scorers. I think Yao is relatively durable. A lot of the other guys on the team arent obviously. I love Tmac but his back problems are very scary since we cannot afford to be without him for long stretches. Lets hope this type of season doesnt become the norm or he will be untradeable.

 

EDIT.

 

Well Dr. Doolittle, which one is keeping him out now?