Skaters and Long Term Hip Injuries

drivingmissdaisy · Sep 5, 2014

I looked up Todd Eldridge on Wikipedia (since I brought him up in the Greatest Skaters Not to Medal thread) and I saw that he had hip replacement surgery in April 2012. Michelle, Tara, Naoimi Nari, Alyssa and others had surgery to repair torn labrums. Do ongoing hip problems affect the lives of skaters long after they retire, or do they not affect their lives as much once they are done with intense training?

Amei · Sep 5, 2014

I would say yes considering Todd retired after SLC in 2002.

drivingmissdaisy · Sep 5, 2014

I wonder about someone like Michelle, who had the surgery in 2006 and actually got some of her triples back in her aborted attempt at a comeback. Does she wake up in pain everyday now or is she pain free?

Meoima · Sep 5, 2014

Alexei Yagudin.

Sandpiper · Sep 5, 2014

drivingmissdaisy said:
I wonder about someone like Michelle, who had the surgery in 2006 and actually got some of her triples back in her aborted attempt at a comeback. Does she wake up in pain everyday now or is she pain free?

I think--I would hope--Michelle should be okay. She traces that hip injury back to in 2002, and still managed to compete for another three years on it (she probably should've fixed the hip sooner). And she actually got some triples back many years later; no doubt her talent and hard work played a part, but I think it would be difficult if the hip were still bothering her.

The thing is, if Michelle wakes up every day and still feels pain

cry

... how would someone like Alexei Yagudin or Tara Lipinski feel? Pretty awful to contemplate...

Meoima · Sep 5, 2014

Sandpiper said:
The thing is, if Michelle wakes up every day and still feels pain cry... how would someone like Alexei Yagudin or Tara Lipinski feel? Pretty awful to contemplate...

Well, Alexei and Tara must have took it really hard. I remember Alexei cried so much at Skate Canada. And Tara. She can skate, but not jump anymore I suppose. Never see her jumps after she was injured.

drivingmissdaisy · Sep 5, 2014

Sandpiper said:
I think--I would hope--Michelle should be okay. She traces that hip injury back to in 2002, and still managed to compete for another three years on it (she probably should've fixed the hip sooner). And she actually got some triples back many years later; no doubt her talent and hard work played a part, but I think it would be difficult if the hip were still bothering her.

I'd hope so too. I imagine having your hip replaced is something that you never fully recover from 100% in regards to pain, strength, and range of motion. However, I'm not sure what all is involved with the labrum surgery and if the typical prognosis is full recovery.

cruzceleste · Sep 5, 2014

Tessa Virtue has a hip injury too, doesn´t she? I remember Matina talking about it after Sochi when she was asked if she think V/M will continue...

Meoima · Sep 5, 2014

cruzceleste said:
Tessa Virtue has a hip injury too, doesn´t she? I remember Matina talking about it after Sochi when she was asked if she think V/M will continue...

Tessa had surgeries on her legs, someone said so IIRC.

ice coverage · Sep 5, 2014

cruzceleste said:
Tessa Virtue has a hip injury too, doesn´t she? I remember Matina talking about it after Sochi when she was asked if she think V/M will continue...

Meoima said:
Tessa had surgeries on her legs, someone said so IIRC.

Tessa Virtue did not have hip injuries. She required surgery for compartment syndrome.

LuisRollerArg · Sep 5, 2014

Ksenia Makarova is not healthy for compete, she got a chronic hip injury!

jennyanydots · Sep 6, 2014

Skating is obviously hard on the hips with all the repetitive stress and abnormal positions. Sometimes the hip joint sockets aren't formed correctly from birth, which I think was the case with Alexei and Naomi. I think it's possible that other skaters could have had some degree of hip dysplasia, that is abnormal shape or too shallow hip joint socket, which predisposed them to injury.

iluvtodd · Sep 6, 2014

Amei said:
I would say yes considering Todd retired after SLC in 2002.

True, but thankfully he skated as a pro (and with SOI for 11 years)! If he had medalled in the 1998 Nagano Olympics, I think he might have gone pro then (although that was also the time when there were the pro--am events). He decided to take off 2 seasons from Olympic-eligible competition (Nationals, Worlds, although he did do a GP event in one of those years). He also could have gone to 2002 Worlds, as he made the US team for it, but opted to join SOI right after SLC. That way Matt Savoie got to compete there.

I think the hip injuries had a more severe long term impact on Alexei & Tara. In Alexei's case in particular, since he really wanted to keep competing, but couldn't

noskates · Sep 7, 2014

Kurt Browning comes to mind and his back injuries. I don't know that he had surgery but I do know that his back was an issue before the Olys. I think the force of landing some of those triples just takes its toll. OH - Tim Goebel - same thing

MK's Winter · Sep 7, 2014

noskates said:
Kurt Browning comes to mind and his back injuries. I don't know that he had surgery but I do know that his back was an issue before the Olys. I think the force of landing some of those triples just takes its toll. OH - Tim Goebel - same thing

I definitely thought of Tim. All of those quads. Jumping really takes it's toll in the back/hips/knees

Meoima · Sep 7, 2014

noskates said:
Kurt Browning comes to mind and his back injuries. I don't know that he had surgery but I do know that his back was an issue before the Olys. I think the force of landing some of those triples just takes its toll. OH - Tim Goebel - same thing

Come to think of it, anyone has any information about Goebel after he retired?

gkelly · Sep 7, 2014

Wasn't it a hip injury that caused Goebel to withdraw from 1998 Jr. Worlds back when he was 17?

noskates · Sep 8, 2014

There was an article in one of the skating magazines in the past year about where Tim Goebel is now. He got a degree in mathematics or computer science and is working in that field. Apparently he is a pretty intelligent guy. Wish I could remember more but I was left with the thought that he was doing very well for himself. There IS life after skating!

Meoima · Sep 8, 2014

noskates said:
There was an article in one of the skating magazines in the past year about where Tim Goebel is now. He got a degree in mathematics or computer science and is working in that field. Apparently he is a pretty intelligent guy. Wish I could remember more but I was left with the thought that he was doing very well for himself. There IS life after skating!

:yay: It's good to know that Goebel is doing well. I was so sad for his hip.

I hope he will get more and more success.

Wo|flax · Sep 8, 2014

Meoima said:
Come to think of it, anyone has any information about Goebel after he retired?

TSL interview with him: lots of parts but part 6 is relevant to this thread, as well as the end of part 5 (at about 6min)

Skaters and Long Term Hip Injuries

drivingmissdaisy

Amei

drivingmissdaisy

Meoima

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Sandpiper

Meoima

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drivingmissdaisy

cruzceleste

Meoima

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ice coverage

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LuisRollerArg

jennyanydots

iluvtodd

noskates

MK's Winter

Meoima

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gkelly

noskates

Meoima

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Wo|flax

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