<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The nearly inevitable happened Sunday. Forward Kenyon Martin, still not all the way back from offseason left knee surgery, missed his first game of the season against Minnesota. Martin said he didn't know how long he would sit. "We're just going by the day, man," he said. Denver general manager Kiki Vandeweghe said Martin's absence does not increase the urgency to bring in another big man, even with forward Nene likely out for the season with a right knee injury. "Hopefully it's just one game. Everybody misses games," Vandeweghe said of Martin. The GM added that doctors hope by the season's two-month mark, the forward's pain will decrease. As for now, Nuggets coach George Karl said the team would remain conservative. "His knee's very sore," Karl said. "How he manages it, how we manage it will probably be a personality of the season for at least a couple weeks." Martin underwent microfracture surgery this offseason, though the procedure was not on the magnitude of similar surgeries for Chris Webber and Jason Kidd. Still, Karl said: "The issue to me is very scary. Every one of them. I saw Jason Kidd not being the same player in his first year back. I've seen a lot of guys where it just doesn't seem like it gets back the first. The first time they don't get a feel for it or a comfort zone. You just have to help them through." </div> Source
Wow, Martin just can't seem to catch a break. Ever since he came to Denver there have been many negative things happening to his body.
Let's hope he gets well quickly, both for his sake and for that of the team. He is a very important player for the Nuggets, who can't afford to have another big man injured with Nenê out for the season.
Are the Nuggets actively trying to do a deal to move Earl Watson and bring in some support for Marcus Camby?
I believe Martin's surgery occurred in mid-May of this year. It usually takes at least four months to get a green light to participate in sports events, after such a surgery; however, some NBA players, who have underwent the same procedure, took six months or longer to return. What I do not know is the degree of chronic underlying problems experienced in his left knee that lead up to the need for that surgery. The over-all condition of the muscles, ligaments, alignment, and cartilage integrity are all key factors in determining a successful recovery. Usually, knee stiffness is the most common post-operative result, but if pain and soreness are reported there is an indication that there is still a problem in the knee joint, which is causing continuing inflammation. This is most likely a tendonitis condition and could require an additional four to six weeks of healing time before a more satisfactory presentation is seen. The surgery Martin underwent, Microfracture knee surgery, involves making tiny near 1/8-inch holes into the damaged cartilage. The blood and bone marrow cells that fill these holes create clots that later form into fibrocartilage. The fibrocartilage helps to restore some of the cushioning effects of the damaged cartilage; however, this fibrocartilage is not nearly as durable and can deteriorate over a period of years, especially with over-use. Physiotherapy is of the utmost importance following this type of surgery and I hope that Martin was given passive range of motion immediately following his surgery. This is where the patient's knee joint is moved about mechanically, so the muscles can rest while the joint experiences motion without the presence of load. Studies have shown that this rehabilitative technique decreases swelling, prevents stiffness from lack of use, and promotes improved healing. Still, even with the best rehab, some patients will not respond favorably and will need to be re-evaluated for further care. Since basketball involves mostly sprinting and jumping, the leg muscle balance is something that needs to be considered in any good rehab program. Sprinting and jumping can over-develop the quadriceps muscle. This helps to cushion some of the shock force to the knee. It also helps to keep the kneecap in alignment (that helps prevent the likelihood of runner’s knee) however, over-developed quadriceps can cause problems. The main concern is the increased pressure exerted to the meniscus of the knee. This can translate into increased wear and tear stress to the cartilage. If the hamstring muscles, the muscles on the back of the leg, are also weaker than they should be, this further exacerbates this problem. I would suspect his trainers have their work cut out for them, because stretching the quads usually requires bending the knee and increasing the joint pressure, and that is not good. Strengthening the hamstrings first would help add stability to the knee and if the hamstrings could be improved, it is more likely the quadriceps could be stretched, later. Pete findachiropractor.com
Chiropractor, so when can we expect Martin back? Tomorrow, next week, or the next couple of months? Too hard to tell?
