Chron: Rockets stay united as staff works on injuries

Rockets stay united as staff works on injuries

By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle

AUSTIN -- Moochie Norris thought skipping practice would mean a light day. Taking a day off earlier this week to rest his sore feet was not his choice, but if he had to skip workouts, he imagined himself sitting on a courtside training table making noise.

No such luck.

"I had a little abdominal strain," Norris said. "I ended up doing like 12,000 sit-ups. Just sit-ups over and over. You look around, everybody is doing something. I would say it is harder than practice."

A year ago, by the time Rockets training camp reached its second week, more players were injured than playing.

This season, players have had to miss practice time. But no one has been injured enough to skip work.

Once through with treatment from trainers Keith Jones and Michelle Leget, they have been moved to tough training under strength and conditioning coach Anthony Falsone and newly hired rehabilitation coordinator Dave Macha.

Jones and Leget put players through similar paces last season, but most were not well enough in training camp. But with the decision this season to hire Macha to work with Falsone, players have immediately found that skipping practice can be more grueling than practicing. And workouts have been considerably more complicated than sit-ups, from Maurice Taylor hopping and skipping through exercises to strengthen his ankle and Achilles' tendon to Steve Francis on Thursday strapping on elastic restraints to strengthen and stretch his hamstrings.

"You work hard," Rockets forward Glen Rice said. "You work as hard as when you're on the court. When you're on the sideline, they push you to do whatever you've got to do. That's a big plus. In some ways, it's tougher than practice."

The idea is not new. It is typical in football and baseball. Rockets players have worked with Macha and Russ Paine at The Institute of Rehabilitation and Research (formerly HealthSouth). Often, they went through similar training exercises with Leget or Jones.

But clinical rehabilitation from injuries and the next step, functional rehabilitation specific to basketball were typically removed from practices and inevitably followed less consistently than with what Jones called, "one-stop shopping."

"Logistically it was just a lot easier to get everybody together at the same time," Macha said. "We're making sure we're on the same page, Dr. (Walter) Lowe, Dr. (Bruce) Moseley, Keith, the coaches, knowing where they are. There is a lot better accountability for the players. It's easier for them and there's less margin for error.

"Before, you got to a point we can't do what we need at practice. We were being very non-productive with the time. We're able to transition from an injured state, after Keith and the doctors got them. Anthony and I go from there and have them do the things to get them back on the floor."

Players have already noticed the difference, and so has Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich who met with Jones on Thursday to discuss ways to incorporate more of the sort of drills Francis did Thursday into regular practices.

For the Rockets, it has been a happy coincidence that the stepped-up program has begun the season the team has several players in rehabilitation, but none too injured to put to work. But even the relatively routine maladies of this season's camp might have required rehabilitation at an Austin facility instead of during practice, allowing players to take part in much of the work.

"We're able to do it here and still have the guys here for practice so they're not missing a lot of the learning," Jones said. "And the therapy is ongoing. When you have an injury like Glen had or Mo had, you rehab for the rest of your career. Their therapy is just part of practice now. You come to work and get it all done. And with that consistency, guys will do it.

"It will be part of their day to do the back work, the specific stuff. In the middle of practice, Cuttino (Mobley) will come over and do his ankle exercises. And it's all also sports specific to basketball. You can't put a price on that."

There could be another benefit, Jones said. The emphasis is on avoiding and rehabilitating injuries. But the extra attention is noticed.

"Players talk," Jones said. "You look at some teams. Guys get injured and want to see their doctor or go to therapy in another town. We can do everything, and David, Anthony and Missy have the personality guys don't want to go anywhere. In the age of free agency, that makes the organization more attractive. Each guy feels like he gets the best care possible, they feel connected and wanted."

Keeping players connected to the team can also make them more dedicated to rehabilitation and understanding of the process. Taylor has made it clear he wanted to be practicing this week. But he has still been with his team and working.

"We felt like it was an incomplete loop," Falsone said. "We would travel and have to call and ask how rehab went, how they're doing. When I went to Rudy, CD (Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson), Keith and (assistant coach) Jim Boylen, they were all supportive to get this done, and Rudy has been very interested in doing the functional training. And I think the players can see the benefit, so they're more open to doing what I ask them to do."

But it has not been easy.

"Now there is no reason why you can't do your rehab," Rice said. "You have to take advantage of it. If you take advantage of it, it's going to show. With it being right here, you can feel somewhat involved. You can keep on eye on what we're doing and you can still talk a little trash.

"But I got to tell, it's tough."