Zion's Knee

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

Sorry for that, but I was completely gobsmacked by the perceived insult at what I thought was a simple comment. I’ll cancel that out ASAP with a positive rep comment as soon as I’m allowed to.

No worries my friend. I’m secure in my reputation here. It is challenging at times to accurately convey oneself online. I could have been clearer.

[SouthernDukie]

No worries my friend. I’m secure in my reputation here. It is challenging at times to accurately convey oneself online. I could have been clearer.

Very good. I freely admit I find the positive rep comments hard to come by.

[fuse]

😭😭😭😭😭
Nothing but the best of wishes for a full and speedy recovery.

[freshmanjs]

Got tickets for Pelicans @ Sixers Dec 13. Hopefully he'll be back!!! I'm wearing Duke gear and my daughter is wearing her Zion #1 Pelicans jersey.

[Reddevil]

I am not coming at this with any expertise at all, and only commenting because I need a partial knee replacement 6 years after tearing my miniscus (I am 55) so I have been reading up on the matter a bit. In Europe they are performing artificial meniscus replacements and have been doing so for two years. It has not been approved in the U.S. yet, but I find it encouraging. Perhaps we are waiting for actual flubber to be developed first. Best wishes for Zion.

[ChillinDuke]

No worries my friend. I’m secure in my reputation here. It is challenging at times to accurately convey oneself online. I could have been clearer.

I'd give you a negative reputation comment for this post but I need to spread some love.

I keed.

- Chillin

[SouthernDukie]

No worries my friend. I’m secure in my reputation here. It is challenging at times to accurately convey oneself online. I could have been clearer.

I’ve tried my darnedest to circle back around so I could give you a positive rep comment to cancel my earlier one out. But to no avail. I keep being told I must spread the comments around. And now I’m told I’ve given out too many in the last 24 hours (all in an attempt to make myself eligible to comment on you again). So I’m sorry, Doc. I honestly have tried to atone. But it may be a while yet.

But us Southerners believe in keepin’ our word, so I’m not giving up.

[gep]

I am not coming at this with any expertise at all, and only commenting because I need a partial knee replacement 6 years after tearing my miniscus (I am 55) so I have been reading up on the matter a bit. In Europe they are performing artificial meniscus replacements and have been doing so for two years. It has not been approved in the U.S. yet, but I find it encouraging. Perhaps we are waiting for actual flubber to be developed first. Best wishes for Zion.

I thought Zion *already* has flubber

[Wahoo2000]

This is starting to feel like how the Washington Nationals babied Stephen Strasburg back in 2012. They shut him down in fear of overusing him at a young age and lost to my team (the Cardinals) in a series they would have won in 4 games had he pitched imo. He still got injured and needed Tommy John surgery anyways and 7 seasons later they're finally in a World Series. I'm not saying the Pels should put him out there like the Warriors did to Durant but putting these huge kid gloves on him for every tweak is not going to stop him from getting hurt.

I will admit to having a personal bit in this matter as I live in Oklahoma and after the Thunder gave up and gave in last offseason (and playoffs) and the Pelicans ended up with 5 Duke players on the roster, I made the switch to NOLA as my team. Naturally, both of their games here in Oklahoma that I have amazing tickets to are in November and fall under the "out for weeks" timeline. I'm still going and very excited as there are still 4 Dukies that I love and admire on the team but it still stinks I probably won't be able to easily see Zion this year. So, I don't want them to baby him personally and hope they realize he's a man-mountain not a piece of china in the middle of a rodeo. Let Zanos get his Infinity Gauntlet on!

As a Nats fan, I want to set the record straight here. Stras had tommy john surgery in 2011, and FOLLOWING that surgery in 2012 they placed him on a strict innings limit as tons of research indicates that overworking guys coming back from that surgery can absolutely RUIN their arms (see: Matt Harvey - a likely HoF guy except the Mets used him to get to a world series in 2015 and the extra work associated with that basically destroyed his arm. A guy who seemed like a surefire future multiple Cy Young winner and HoF'er...). I'm not saying that's what ALWAYS happens, but it's happened enough to be documented in research as a strong possibility. I applaud the Nats for having the guts to sit Stras down in what *could* have been a great postseason run - placing the interests of the player's long term career (and how a good, long career could benefit them as well) over short-term gains.

It always sucks as a fan when you don't get to see your favorite guy go - especially when the stakes are high, like in the postseason. Given how impactful a TRULY great player can be over a LONG career though, I think you're usually better served to err on the side of caution when the consequences of "throwing them out there" are a non-insignificant risk of career threatening/ending injury.

[Steven43]

That's an absurd rant there.

I didn’t give an opinion one way or the other on Zion’s weight. I simply get tired off so many in the sports media acting like they’re an expert on every subject — including the subject of Zion’s weight, muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments, etc., which, in my opinion, would be more appropriately addressed by those in the medical/science field.

[jv001]

I mean, meniscus surgery is never "good" news. It means he had a tear in the meniscus, and the doctors didn't feel it was suitable to repair that torn part. So they took the torn part out.

In the short-term, that probably means a quicker recovery time than a meniscus repair. But, it also means he has less meniscus, and is more at risk of osteoarthritis in the knee.

The mensicus is sort of like the shock absorber for the knee. So with less meniscus, you have less cushion for your joints. For a guy Zion's size and for a guy who puts the stress Zion puts on his joints, that's going to have long-term consequences.

But, in the short-term (i.e., his 20s), he will probably be fine as long as he doesn't suffer more injuries.

The bigger concern is that he's now had multiple injuries to his knee(s) as a teenager, and he's about to ramp up the intensity of his competition moving forward (more games, more physicality required, less rest time). His knees aren't likely to get better with age.

Thanks for the information on a meniscus repair. My wife had meniscus repair surgery in August and is still in lot's of pain. The ortho docs have told her to walk and be as active as pain allows. Well, after 3 or more return visits, she is scheduled for an injection of rooster comb jell tomorrow. She was told she tore her meniscus in two places and that's why she's still in pain. I had meniscus repair in both of my knees and never had the problems she's having. GoDuke!

[Steven43]

Thanks for the information on a meniscus repair. My wife had meniscus repair surgery in August and is still in lot's of pain. The ortho docs have told her to walk and be as active as pain allows. Well, after 3 or more return visits, she is scheduled for an injection of rooster comb jell tomorrow. She was told she tore her meniscus in two places and that's why she's still in pain. I had meniscus repair in both of my knees and never had the problems she's having. GoDuke!

As you just pointed out every person is different and every injury situation is specific to the individual. None of us have any true understanding of Zion’s injury, surgery, or prognosis.

Even the man/woman who did Zion’s surgery — the person who knows more about it than anyone else in the world — doesn’t truly know how things are going to go from this point forward.

[throatybeard]

I thought Zion *already* has flubber

It's Vibranium.

[throatybeard]

I didn’t give an opinion one way or the other on Zion’s weight. I simply get tired off so many in the sports media acting like they’re an expert on every subject — including the subject of Zion’s weight, muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments, etc., which, in my opinion, would be more appropriately addressed by those in the medical/science field.

This problem is easily solved. Turn off ESPN and Fox Sports.

[bundabergdevil]

It's Vibranium.

Or Unobtainium...

[Steven43]

This problem is easily solved. Turn off ESPN and Fox Sports.

No, thank you. Yes, sports media guys/gals often pontificate on things of which they know very little, but that’s not always the case. You take the bad with the good, just like with DBR.

[Acymetric]

This problem is easily solved. Turn off ESPN and Fox Sports.

People watch Fox Sports?

[HereBeforeCoachK]

This problem is easily solved. Turn off ESPN and Fox Sports.

That really doesn't "solve" anything.

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

A smidge more info and commentary from David Griffin, who calls out the talking heads on all their theories about Zion’s weight. It seems clear that the Pels are using all available medical science to ensure Zion is as fit and strong as he needs to be. He even alludes to the fact that Zion is already pretty much in peak physical shape and that losing weight on a frame that is already at 9% body fat or less is not necessarily the clear answer. Just reinforces that Zion is truly unique and all the hot takes are pretty much nothing more than hot air.

https://sports.yahoo.com/amphtml/pel...221038170.html

[bundabergdevil]

A smidge more info and commentary from David Griffin, who calls out the talking heads on all their theories about Zion’s weight. It seems clear that the Pels are using all available medical science to ensure Zion is as fit and strong as he needs to be. He even alludes to the fact that Zion is already pretty much in peak physical shape and that losing weight on a frame that is already at 9% body fat or less is not necessarily the clear answer. Just reinforces that Zion is truly unique and all the hot takes are pretty much nothing more than hot air.

https://sports.yahoo.com/amphtml/pel...221038170.html

There are some pretty interesting anecdotes in there from Griffin underscoring Zion's physical uniqueness, thanks for sharing.