Brian Cushing getting an MRI?

[TexansFanatic]

Originally Posted by The Medic01

Ray Lewis

Is it more reasonable to expect Cushing to succumb to the constant collisions and have a relatively short window of high-level play or to expect him to play at a nearly impossibly high-level for sixteen seasons like the absolute best inside linebacker in NFL history?

[CloakNNNdagger]

Originally Posted by Nawzer

Are there any mesenchymal stem cell treatments out there? Something that generates the chondroblasts and then cartilage in joints?

Stem cell therapy for cartilage damage and even arthritis is in ongoing research, more advanced in the UK and other European countries (that are less restrictive in research guidelines). It is promissing, however, very much in its infancy. One of the unexplained mysteries that have been encountered in this tool is that some subjects have a very response........and many others have none. Clinical trials are ongoing and are planned for the future to try to answer this and other questions.

[Nawzer]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

Stem cell therapy for cartilage damage and even arthritis is in ongoing research, more advanced in the UK and other European countries (that are less restrictive in research guidelines). It is promissing, however, very much in its infancy. One of the unexplained mysteries that have been encountered in this tool is that some subjects have a very response........and many others have none. Clinical trials are ongoing and are planned for the future to try to answer this and other questions.

I'm aware of the regulations on stem cell research here in the States! I was interested as an undergrad to pursue hematopoietic stem cell research due to their multipotent nature, but quickly realized the limitations of such a pursuit during that time. Can't say I made a bad choice working with bacteria though.

Genetic factors play a role in the varied response in patients. I know in the case of rheumatoid arthritis, it was long thought to be a result of normal wear and tear, but now there seems to be a genetic component to it. I don't know how this relates to Brian Cushing, but his knee issue is probably due to football related activity and although it might not be degenerative, you cannot make cartilage and once its gone its gone as far as I understand (lack of blood supply) and you would have to resort to cartilage repair. Hopefully all of this won't happen to Cushing but getting an MRI is not just for fun.

[CloakNNNdagger]

Originally Posted by Nawzer

I'm aware of the regulations on stem cell research here in the States! I was interested as an undergrad to pursue hematopoietic stem cell research due to their multipotent nature, but quickly realized the limitations of such a pursuit during that time. Can't say I made a bad choice working with bacteria though.

Genetic factors play a role in the varied response in patients. I know in the case of rheumatoid arthritis, it was long thought to be a result of normal wear and tear, but now there seems to be a genetic component to it. I don't know how this relates to Brian Cushing, but his knee issue is probably due to football related activity and although it might not be degenerative, you cannot make cartilage and once its gone its gone as far as I understand (lack of blood supply) and you would have to resort to cartilage repair. Hopefully all of this won't happen to Cushing but getting an MRI is not just for fun.

Even in an elite athlete with money not being an issue, an MRI is not casually obtained without history of acute injury, or significant chronic signs or symptoms. They are not obtained for a "fleeting" symptom "just to be careful." Cushing has evidently been dealing with (at least that is all we are told of his history) "soreness" in his knee during workouts throughout the offseason. "Pain," especially chronic pain, keep in mind is the body's way of telling you that there is damage somewhere. It may be such that it is not demonstrated on MRI....yet. He can obviously function pretty well at this point, and, hopefully, this will continue for many years. We will just have to wait and see how he does when the hitting begins and real knee "stressors" of a football season are unleashed.

[badboy]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

Even in an elite athlete with money not being an issue, an MRI is not casually obtained without history of acute injury, or significant chronic signs or symptoms. They are not obtained for a "fleeting" symptom "just to be careful." Cushing has evidently been dealing with (at least that is all we are told of his history) "soreness" in his knee during workouts throughout the offseason. "Pain," especially chronic pain, keep in mind is the body's way of telling you that there is damage somewhere. It may be such that it is not demonstrated on MRI....yet. He can obviously function pretty well at this point, and, hopefully, this will continue for many years. We will just have to wait and see how he does when the hitting begins and real knee "stressors" of a football season are unleashed.

Doc even if he has a somewhat healthy season, would it be smart to draft a replacement to train for that day when he cannot play well? His current contract ends after 2013 and his health may play a big role in re-signing him as it did with Mario and Demeco's move to Philly. Appreciate your thoughts.

Steve

[CloakNNNdagger]

Originally Posted by badboy

Doc even if he has a somewhat healthy season, would it be smart to draft a replacement to train for that day when he cannot play well? His current contract ends after 2013 and his health may play a big role in re-signing him as it did with Mario and Demeco's move to Philly. Appreciate your thoughts.

Steve

As you point out, health many times determines what a team is willing to do when the time comes for a player to re-sign. Obviously, the closer you get to that date, the better idea you have concerning the player's condition and projection for further longevity. That said, it would be foolish not to at least have a backup on the roster (whether by graduation within the ranks, draft or FA) by the 2013 season that you would feel comfortable in subbing interchangeably with Cushing. In this scheme, the LBs, especially the ILBs will be exposed to an perpetual number of brutal contacts. Lineman experience contact on every play. But it is torque-based rather than velocity-based. The former is forceful, the latter is violent. I would have to say that after 5 years, there are more very good ILBs in a 3-4 that have shown significant downturn in there level of performance for whatever reason or have retired than those that maintain their 3rd year level of performance. Ray Lewis's (16 seasons,) Mike Singletary's (12 seasons), Jack Lambert's(11 seasons) and Dick Butkus's (9 seasons) don't grow on trees. Cushing has a long way to go to meet up with those players. It would be a nice surprise.........but, he still does have a very long hard journey ahead of him. Lewis once said, "My world is a violent world".............and, indeed, it is.......for him AND Cushing....................

[Playoffs]

Nick Scurfield ‏@NickScurfield
LB Brian Cushing (knee) returned to practice today. Kubiak: "He wanted to end the OTAs with having some work." #Texans