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View Full Version : Malceski could be back by round 8



The Coon Dog
26-02-2008, 06:40 AM
Malceski could be back by round 8 (http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,23275688-19742,00.html)

Mike Sheahan | February 26

AS FUTURISTIC as it sounds, Sydney's Nick Malceski could be back playing football within three months after the biggest knee surgery of them all.

Malceski had his ruptured anterior cruciate ligament repaired in Sydney on Friday in a procedure that has revolutionised knee repairs in Europe.

The dashing half-back was walking unaided yesterday, just three days after surgery, even doing light exercise. The Swans hope he will return as soon as Round 8 (May 18).

Conventional wisdom in football says players don't play in the year in which they tear the ACL.

Malceski, 22, happily agreed to the procedure when informed it offered the opportunity to play this year.

Injured in Launceston on February 17, he underwent what is known as a ligament augmentation and reconstruction system (LARS), where a ligament made of industrial-strength polyester fibres is used to replace the torn natural ligament.

Sydney club doctor Nathan Gibbs learned of the LARS advance 15 months ago during one of the club's now famous intelligence-gathering missions to Europe.

Malceski was operated on by a Sydney orthopaedic surgeon, who has been using the technique for 12 months, under the guidance of the visiting French surgeon who pioneered the surgery.

"He (Dr J. P. Labouro) was in Australia lecturing about the technique the very week Malceski was injured, which was extremely fortuitous," Dr Gibbs said.

"With the LARS procedure, it's an inert ligament . . . you screw it in and, technically, it's as strong as it will be from day one.

"In simple terms, the basic way we've done cruciate reconstructions is you put some new tissue or material in there to reconstruct or recreate the cruciate ligament.

"Most of the time you take body parts, usually a tendon from the kneecap or from the hamstring.

"Not having to take tendons means you don't have the trauma of getting over that side of things, so the rehabilitation is quicker for that reason alone.

"The ideal time to try this procedure is when you've got an important player who is injured early in the season, so there's plenty of time to get back. If it's unsuccessful, you would know by May-June, and he'd still have plenty of time to do the traditional operation and be back for the following season."

Malceski agreed to take the risk after discussions with officials, coaching staff and his family.

"We're confident it's not going to fail, but if the worst thing happens, then we know we won't stuff up two seasons," Dr Gibbs said.

Malceski had his other knee reconstructed in conventional style in 2004, missing the entire season.

"We're aiming for 12 weeks, which would mean Round 8-9," Dr Gibbs said. "The first seven to 10 days, he's just waiting for the wounds to heal, although he's already doing some static quadricep work and things like that."

Malceski is expected to start running again after six weeks.

"There's some great anecdotal stories. American gridiron players fly to Europe to get their cruciates done," Dr Gibbs said.

"One guy played after weeks and played the last 10 games."

Already several players are expected to miss the 2008 AFL season because of knee injuries from pre-season games.

They include Fremantle's Paul Hasleby and Brad Dick (Collingwood) and Mitch Brown (West Coast) from the same game in Albany at the weekend.

* I just thought this might be of some interest. It would be fantastic if it was successful, not just for Nick Malceski, but any player who does a knee.

Twodogs
26-02-2008, 08:22 AM
Interesting.


So the fact that the polyester fibre doesnt need time to knit means that he wont get the normal wasting through inactivity in the knee joint and will right to go earlier?

Go_Dogs
26-02-2008, 08:49 AM
Interesting.


So the fact that the polyester fibre doesnt need time to knit means that he wont get the normal wasting through inactivity in the knee joint and will right to go earlier?

I'm guessing that's the theory behind it.

It's interesting all the advances being made in relation to ACL's. If Malceski does make it back relatively early it could certainly set a new precedent for treatment of the injuries. I remember when Hudson did his ACL and basically undertook a gymnastics program, which really helped him. This latest technology looks even better though.

Mantis
26-02-2008, 09:28 AM
Doug Hawkins was on SEN this morning explaining that his knee reco back in 86 used a similiar technique using a gortex fibre. He explained that at the he, Rod MacPherson, Mick Egan and Zeno Ztatsaris?? had there knee's done at a similiar time using this technique and Doug's was the only one that wasn't re-injured.

Twodogs
26-02-2008, 09:35 AM
Doug Hawkins was on SEN this morning explaining that his knee reco back in 86 used a similiar technique using a gortex fibre. He explained that at the he, Rod MacPherson, Mick Egan and Zeno Ztatsaris?? had there knee's done at a similiar time using this technique and Doug's was the only one that was re-injured.



Mickey Egan (Megan-one of the great sporting nicknames) did his knee two or three years before Doug and never really played any decent footy again.


I cant remember Doug reinjuring his knee either.

Mantis
26-02-2008, 10:38 AM
Mickey Egan (Megan-one of the great sporting nicknames) did his knee two or three years before Doug and never really played any decent footy again.

I cant remember Doug reinjuring his knee either.

He didn't. It was supposed to read wasn't not was...I fixed it up.

Sockeye Salmon
26-02-2008, 11:38 AM
My dog had this operation less than three weeks ago and is climbing stairs already. The vet said I can walk her after 4 weeks and she'll be running after 8 weeks.

I don't know if she'll ever play footy again, though.



We had it done this way because it was $800 rather than $3,000.

westdog54
27-02-2008, 12:15 AM
My dog had this operation less than three weeks ago and is climbing stairs already. The vet said I can walk her after 4 weeks and she'll be running after 8 weeks.

I don't know if she'll ever play footy again, though.



We had it done this way because it was $800 rather than $3,000.

What breed of dog just out of curiousity?

Sockeye Salmon
27-02-2008, 08:29 AM
What breed of dog just out of curiousity?

German Shephard

westdog54
27-02-2008, 12:13 PM
German Shephard

Not the sort of dog who'd want to stick to just walking for any given time then.

Beautiful creatures though.

The Coon Dog
10-05-2008, 04:58 AM
Nick Malceski ready to go in 86 days (http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,23673442-19742,00.html)

SYDNEY'S Nick Malceski is expected to play his first football gane next Sunday with the Swans reserves just 86 days after having surgery.

Malceski yesterday completed a full training session just 11 weeks after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in the Swans opening pre-season game in February.

Instead of having a traditional knee reconstruction ground-breaking French surgeon J.P. Laboureau rebuilt Malceski's right knee using industrial-strength synthetic fibre.

Malceski, looked sharp and focused as he competed in every drill except for one that involved full-contact tackling.

However, Swans physio Matt Cameron said Malceski had already done some full-contact sessions and would do another one on Monday.

If the 23-year-old ticks off that box and and gets through the rest of training for the week he will line up for the reserves in their Canberra league game against Tuggeranong next Sunday at ANZ Stadium as the curtain-raiser to the Swans-Essendon showdown.

"He is fully fit, he has also got mental confidence," Cameron said. "At this point, so close, it often depends on how they look rather than a black-and-white test.

"If he looked tentative, we might hold him back, but he doesn't at all."

Club doctor Nathan Gibbs says it takes a special athlete to cope with this type of revolutionary surgery and accelerated rehab.

"You could only do it with certain individuals and Nick has been switched on to the concept from day one," Gibbs said.

"If you don't believe in the treatment, and don't believe it will work then it isn't for you but that attitude is instinctive in him."

In other good news for the Swans, Barry Hall's return won't be too far behind Malceski's.

Hall is still on target to play in Sydney's Round 12 game against St Kilda at the SCG after having surgery on his broken right wrist.

"At this stage he's immobilised in a cast for six weeks and he's got two more weeks to go then he'll have the pin taken out," Gibbs said.

"Then it will be a few more weeks to get his wrist going strong but at this stage he's still on track to comeback in Round 12."

That will be just one week after Hall's seven-match suspension for striking West Coast's Brent Staker ends but Gibbs will be able to make a better assessment once the menacing centre half-forward's cast comes off.

However, Hall is expected to return fitter and more physically intimidating than ever if the sight of him burning up the track at Swans training yesterday is anything to go by.

BulldogBelle
10-05-2008, 07:38 AM
It will be very interesting to see how all this pans out.
Looking forward to his first game to see how he goes.
If all goes well it will be great for all players.

Go_Dogs
10-05-2008, 09:45 AM
Club doctor Nathan Gibbs says it takes a special athlete to cope with this type of revolutionary surgery and accelerated rehab.

"You could only do it with certain individuals and Nick has been switched on to the concept from day one," Gibbs said.

"If you don't believe in the treatment, and don't believe it will work then it isn't for you but that attitude is instinctive in him."

I found this part interesting.

How would they determine which types of players are able to have this type of surgery? Obviously their attitude to rehab etc plays a big part, but their natural ability to recover must also play a big part, and I don't know how quantitative that information is - seems like it could be a bit hit and miss.

Good to hear it has been successful though, and I'm sure we'll hear a lot more about it in the near future.

Sockeye Salmon
10-05-2008, 11:27 AM
Some of you may remember that my dog had this operation in February.

Her's failed.

westdog54
10-05-2008, 01:42 PM
Some of you may remember that my dog had this operation in February.

Her's failed.

What's happened? Back to the vet for another operation, or the unthinkable?

Sockeye Salmon
10-05-2008, 02:00 PM
What's happened? Back to the vet for another operation, or the unthinkable?

Neither.

We won't be getting the knee done again - too much money to spend on a 10yo German Shephard - but we won't be getting her put down, at least not yet.

She's getting around OK and doesn't seem to be in pain (hard to tell with Dogs because they're so tough, they won't let you know).

The problem was that we were supposed to immobilise her but as soon as she started feeling well again that proved to be impossible.

The vet thinks eventually arthritis will kick in but until then she's getting around with a pronounced limp.

GVGjr
10-05-2008, 02:12 PM
The vet thinks eventually arthritis will kick in but until then she's getting around with a pronounced limp.

You can buy shark cartledge for the arthritis. A mates dog had a bad dose of arthritis after an operation 3 years ago and has only had one problem since after starting a course of it. She is 10 now and it's just mixed into her food each night.

As for Malceski, it's a big risk.

Sockeye Salmon
10-05-2008, 02:15 PM
You can buy shark cartledge for the arthritis. A mates dog had a bad dose of arthritis after an operation 3 years ago and has only had one problem since after starting a course of it. She is 10 now and it's just mixed into her food each night.

As for Malceski, it's a big risk.

Sasha's Blend every night along with Previcox.

Previcox is the greatest anti-inflam ever made. I've been dying to give it a go.

I must ask Twodogs, he probably has at some stage.

westdog54
11-05-2008, 02:27 AM
Neither.

We won't be getting the knee done again - too much money to spend on a 10yo German Shephard - but we won't be getting her put down, at least not yet.

Fair enough, at least she's still around. I dread the day that I may have to put one of my dogs to sleep.


She's getting around OK and doesn't seem to be in pain (hard to tell with Dogs because they're so tough, they won't let you know).

Definite German Shepherd trait.


The problem was that we were supposed to immobilise her but as soon as she started feeling well again that proved to be impossible.

I share your pain on that one.

We got our Border Collie X desexed not long after her 16 week vaccination.

You try keeping a Border Collie pup indoors for 2 weeks and see how you go. Every time she slipped past our grasp she'd run around the house for a good 10 minutes before I could lay a hand on her.

westdog54
11-05-2008, 12:24 PM
They tell me you defended at Rec Footy like that too! :D

Wash your mouth out with soap!!

I've had 2 bad games. 1 where I happened to lose a marking contest to Raw Toast's wife, and another where I was towelled up by Adrian Anderson for a half, before borgy took over and showed me how it was done.

ledge
11-05-2008, 01:01 PM
How bad is this thread going, started with poor old Malceskis knee, now its on to dogs knees and some blokes social footy match! lol