NOTE TO A-ROD: DON'T END UP LIKE ME. GET IT FIXED NOW.

Not that I believe that Alex Rodriguez would ever navigate to this blog, I'm going to offer this personal story, just in case.

This morning I read Peter Abraham's article about a doctor who says that sooner or later, "A" will need to get this torn labrum repaired.

"I just spoke to an expert, Dr. Robert Buly of the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan. He is an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in hips.

According to Dr. Buly, A-Rod likely has an impingement in his hip socket, a common injury for athletes. It comes from the femoral bone hitting the rim of the socket. The labrum, he said, is like a rubber gasket around the socket. A torn labrum is a symptom of the impingement.

Dr. Buly said it is “not unreasonable” to try rest and rehab. “But at some point you have to bite the bullet and have the surgery. It’s going to get progressively worse and for the patient, it’s pretty miserable,” he said.

A-Rod’s ability to play depends on the size of the tear and how quickly it gets larger. At some point, surgery will be needed. If it is only soft tissue, the recovery time is six to eight weeks. If bone must be repaired, it would take three to four months.

Only time will tell how the Yankees handle this. But keep this in mind: Cashman said all last season that Jorge Posada’s torn labrum could be treated with rest and rehab. Then on July 30, as Posada underwent surgery, they made a surprise trade for Pudge Rodriguez.

I would expect the same in this case. What is the point of babying A-Rod through the season only to see him break down in September and October? Make a trade now, get the surgery and perhaps he returns by the All-Star break." (full story, click here)

Boy does that sound familiar!

Back in July of 2007, I suffered a shoulder injury at work. An MRI showed a rotator cuff tear (which ended up being detached) and a labrum tear. My doctor recommended "rest and rehab" to try to avoid surgery.

The night after this diagnosis, a friend called me to see how I was. I told him what the doctor told me and he had a firm and loud reply:

"DON'T DO IT, MIKE! TELL HIM YOU WANT IT FIXED NOW!"

He went on to explain how he had the same injury and that the "rehab" (physical therapy) would not help, might make things worse and I'd end up under the knife anyway.

So what do I do? Do I take the medical advice of a fellow fighter aircraft mechanic OR do I go with the recommendation of a man with "MD" and other fancy letters after his name?

I chose the fancy letters guy.

Mistake.

10 weeks of "rest and rehab" made the situation worse and I was in more pain than ever.

October 2007, I had arthroscopic surgery to make the repairs. The rotator cuff was repaired but the labrum could not be repaired. The doctor later added that MRI's tend not to tell the whole story, you really don't know until you get in there.

So here we are, March 2009, I am still on disability with an impingement and something called Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, and possibly facing another surgery. My new doctor believes that the "rehab" might have caused further damage.

Therefore, I offer this unsolicited advice to A-Rod:

DON'T DO IT, ALEX! TELL HIM YOU WANT IT FIXED NOW! The "rehab" will not help, might make things worse and you'll end up under the knife anyway.


Feel free to "Twitter" me for further advice.


Sincerely,


Mike.