Sports Column

All Blazer eyes on two knees

Don't exhale until Roy, Oden pass preseason tests

By kerry eggers

The Portland Tribune, Aug 19, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (6 Reader comments)

L.E. BASKOW / THE PORTLAND TRIBUNE

Trail Blazer trainer Jay Jensen takes a look at guard Brandon Roy after a collision against the Washington Wizards last season.

The Trail Blazers’ fate for the upcoming season rests on a pair of knees.

Brandon Roy’s left one, Greg Oden’s right one.

Many variables will factor into Portland’s success during the 2008-09 campaign, but none are bigger than the health of the franchise’s two most important parts.

Roy’s recent operation to repair a torn meniscus isn’t near the degree of seriousness as was Oden’s microfracture surgery nearly a year ago.

On the other hand, it’s way premature to proclaim, as did the daily’s headline, that Roy “will be (exhale) ... ready” for the season opener.

A meniscus is the least invasive of knee surgeries, and probabilities for a quick and complete recovery are high. That said, nothing should be taken for granted when considering a knee injury – especially since this is Roy’s second in four years to repair similar damage to the same knee.

I’ve had surgery for a torn meniscus in both knees. Each time, I returned to full strength quickly. A good friend, however, had complications following the same kind of surgery. He developed a blood clot in the calf muscle, was bedridden for a month and, eight months later, isn’t at full strength.

I’m not suggesting that Roy will be gimpy this season. But the possibility exists that there might be some lateral damage that compromises his effectiveness, especially early in the season.

And remember, Roy missed 30 games due to injury in his first two NBA seasons. He has now had three knee surgeries (one on the right side) since 2001. That doesn’t make him injury-prone, but even at 24, with the pounding his body takes during a season, it bears watching.

A week after surgery, Roy is off crutches and prepared for the first stage – overseen by trainer Jay Jensen – of what Portland’s medical staff hopes is a four- to six-week recovery period.

“He’ll work out in the pool, and do core and upper-body (weight-lifting) work, until he is weight-bearing,” says Bobby Medina, the team’s strength and conditioning coach. “Then we’ll go from pool to bike and more resistance work.”

1 | 2 Next Page >>

Facebook	Digg	Del.icio.us
Newsvine	Stumbleupon	Reddit