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[Chron]Stress Injuries a Fact of Life for Big Men Like Yao

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by MadMax, Jul 6, 2009.

  1. MadMax

    MadMax Contributing Member

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    Lock it up if it's been posted elsewhere

    http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/6515048.html

    WEIGHTY MATTER
    Stress injuries fact of life for big men like Yao

    By HEATH HAMILTON Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle
    July 5, 2009, 11:18PM


    Nick de la Torre Houston Chronicle
    Rockets Center Yao Ming's enormous frame is largely to blame for his recurring foot issues.


    While the Rockets were busy giving the Los Angeles Lakers their toughest bout of this year’s NBA playoffs, their cornerstone, Yao Ming, went down with another foot injury.

    He would miss the rest of the postseason after suffering a stress fracture of the tarsal navicular bone in his left foot for the second straight year. It was the fourth consecutive season in which Yao was severely hampered by a bone injury in his lower extremities.

    The question now isn’t simply if there’s an end to this, but if this is the end. As Yao ponders options including surgery, there’s a concern that the Rockets’ 7-6, 310-pound All-Star center might miss next season and perhaps never play again.

    A stress fracture is caused by unusual or repeated pressure on a bone, and though different factors go into such an injury, size indeed seems to matter.

    “Typically, larger individuals — especially that large — are more prone to injury,” said Dr. Jeffrey Whelan, a sports medicine orthopedist for Kelsey-Seybold Clinic in Houston.

    Paging through the NBA’s history book, there are a number of prominent big men who had trouble shaking the injury bug in their lower extremities. Bill Walton might be the most famous, having played in just 44 percent of his teams’ regular-season games during a 13-year career. Players such as Sam Bowie, Rik Smits, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Greg Oden have had similar problems.

    Walton and Ilgauskas might have the most in common with Yao; they, too, have dealt with the uncommon fracture of the tarsal navicular bone, which is between the ankle and toes.

    Dr. Jack E. Jensen, founder of the local Athletic Orthopedics and Knee Center, consults with athletes who cover the spectrum, from Olympians to professionals to recreational enthusiasts. he says just a few extra pounds can make a noticeable difference in how much pressure the body endures.

    “When you walk, there’s about 11/2 times your body weight going across your feet and legs,” Jensen said. “When you run, it’s about two to three times. And when you’re jumping hard, like dunking a basketball, it can be three to four.”

    For someone weighing 310 pounds, that could mean a constant jolt of 1,000 or more pounds of force through the lower body. And just because someone has a large frame, it doesn’t mean his bone structure is stronger than that of someone smaller.

    But leg and foot injuries can’t be dismissed as a problem just for bigger players. A speedy guard might be taking more steps on the hardwood to cover the same ground or be in the air higher and longer when jumping.

    Nonetheless, Jensen said weight is a prominent factor in leg and foot injuries. If Yao lost 5 percent of his body weight, or roughly 15 pounds — putting him around his rookie weight of 296 — that could be up to 60 fewer pounds of force per stride.

    Measures to prevent football injuries, especially for linemen, have been adopted for a while. Jensen points to the University of Nebraska, which he believes helped shape how modern athletes train in the 1980s. With their linemen seeming to suffer stress fractures at an abnormally high rate, the Cornhuskers deemed it pointless to have them jog a mile or run stadium steps when the average football play lasts 10 seconds or less.

    “But you look at basketball,” Jensen said, “and they’re just running these big guys, and they’re not really built for that.”

    During his seven-year Rockets career, Yao has put on plenty of additional miles because of summer commitments to the Chinese national team. While players often try to stay in shape in the offseason, recovery time is essential. And there’s a difference between merely hitting the gym and pounding a basketball court nonstop.

    “Playing year-round like that is a horrible beating on one’s bones,” Whelan said. “That’s why you see college players hit the wall their rookie years. Their bodies aren’t used to playing a longer season.”

    NBA assistant director of scouting Ryan Blake believes it’s inaccurate to say a certain type of player naturally is more prone to injury than another.

    “It’s as simple as a case-by-case basis,” Blake said. “Look at (7-2 Dikembe) Mutombo. He played a lot of years without much incident. Karl Malone (6-9) is one who fits that, and (7-foot) Kevin Willis was relatively uninjured his whole career.”

    The 7-3 Ilgauskus suited up for only 29 of 263 Cleveland Cavaliers games in a period covering three-plus seasons during which he underwent two foot surgeries. But he has enjoyed eight mostly healthy and productive seasons since.

    Smits, who at 7-4 had comparable size and game to Yao, wishes he had taken that kind of time to heal. Smits played through foot injuries spanning his college days at Marist through much of his 12 years with the Indiana Pacers. Though his issues were more about nerves than bones, he is sympathetic to Yao’s situation.

    “I’ve been there,” said Smits, who believes he was mistaken in always trying to come back too quickly. “You might make a good impression with your coaches and teammates, but you’re better off waiting until you’re 100 percent.”

    heath.hamilton@chron.com
     
  2. Chamillionaire

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    too bad it happened to so many giants, especially to yao, because he's head and shoulders better than the rest of the giants. he's so skilled and at his size, it's incredible.
     
  3. Big MAK

    Big MAK Member

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    Sad we may never see Yao play to his full potential. Who knows, maybe this surgery will be the one to fix him up :rolleyes:
     
  4. Xsatyr

    Xsatyr Member

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    In other news the sun will rise and set everday...
     
  5. jevon3012

    jevon3012 Member

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    Didn't take long for the smartass "obvious article" response.
     
  6. REEKO_HTOWN

    REEKO_HTOWN I'm Rich Biiiiaaatch!

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    [​IMG]
     
  7. MandM's

    MandM's Member

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    mutumbo doesn't really qualify as a guy who can be compared to yao....very different body. i see ilgauskas as most similar as because of the specific bone.
     
  8. J.Will.Xu

    J.Will.Xu Member

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    Hope what you've said up there could be the gravy for Yao.

    He's tryna fix his foot up the past few seasons,but all his efforts flat out failed.Fractured tibia and stress fractured left foot,now hairline fractured left foot.dang.
     
  9. StevieFlight3

    StevieFlight3 Member

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    Yao needs to lose all the muscle he's gained over seven years and he wont get injured again.
     
  10. meh

    meh Contributing Member

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    Makes you wonder if we could've tried to develop Yao differently. Making him more perimeter oriented and not having to add so much weight to fight in the post.

    While it may mean less dominance, the extra durability may be worth it.
     
  11. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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  12. t_mac1

    t_mac1 Contributing Member

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    adelman tried to make him into a high post player to reduce his responsibilities in the post, he didn't like it. we tried that for a month.
     
  13. Aznoob

    Aznoob Member

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    Are you joking?

    That's Shawn Bradley, part II.
     
  14. el_locoteee

    el_locoteee Member

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    Or Mutombo part II?

    The difference is Yao have an offensive game that is not base on strength and even if losing pound he will be heavier than most centers.
     
  15. meh

    meh Contributing Member

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    Keyword was "develop". By the time Adelman came, Yao is already past his development phase.

    Specifically, I was talking about JVG's decision to make him a pure low post player.
     
  16. MandM's

    MandM's Member

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    I also like that Yao said about 2 months ago that he would lose 15 pounds this summer. then this doctor pulls 15 lbs out of his butt in this interview. sounds like a copy cat looking for some props.

    funny
     
  17. MandM's

    MandM's Member

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    or maybe a clutfans poster?
     

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