Leslie King for USAG:
Rebecca Bross asked USA Gymnastics to distribute the following statement to the media on her behalf.
Rebecca … will undergo surgery on Aug. 25 to reset and stabilize her right kneecap, which was dislocated on Aug. 20 at the Visa Championships. She is expected to return to gymnastics in two months and to be back to 100 percent in time for the start of the 2012 competitive season. Rebecca extends her thanks and appreciation for the notes and well wishes from fans, friends and family.
Great news. The recovery is much quicker than ligament damage.
This will give her a chance to fully recover everything else. And make a plan to peak for London.
Peng Peng Lee had a very similar injury in May. She’s competing in Trials for Worlds this weekend.
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I’m not a huge fan of her gymnastics (very robotic, no emotion) BUT I hate to see an athlete get hurt. I am glad that it is *only* her kneecap and not ligaments.
I’m sorry, but I find the PR difficult to swallow. A fractured ankle did not incapacitate her at worlds last year. But this injury did.
Given her extremely high tolerance for pain, audio cues during the vault and body position afterwards (feet planted, knees bent, massive torque applied), the immediate swelling around the knee and seemingly inability to straighten it without assistance, not to mention heartbreaking agony, I think a worse-case scenario would be more plausible: a quadriceps tendon tear.
I’m pretty sure Rebecca could handle a dislocation without a meltdown, whereas for the rest of us that would be a completely different story.
P.S. I am not a doctor or anything — just a fan trying to connect the dots.
Hello Casual Sharpie-
So…do you think her reps are lying, and the injury is actually something other than what they say it is? Also, what do you mean by “audio cues”? Just curious.
Sometimes people do downplay their injuries or just don’t mention their broken, torn, whatever this and that. I couldn’t say that they’re lying based on fan observation but it’s possible. Certainly wouldn’t be the first time an injury was downplayed so the athlete could remain in consideration for a team.
Just wondering if you will be doing any coverage of the Canadian team’s world trials this weekend.. or if there are any update/scores posted anywhere??
I did not even know that was going on this weekend.
The first place I look is Gymn.ca
Next, Gymnastics Canada.
Likely I’ll hear results first on Facebook, though.
@Deniz,
I’m not saying they are lying — Rebecca may indeed have a dislocated knee cap. What I am saying is that, given her temperament and response, I doubt the injury is that trivial.
As shergymrag mentioned, there are lots of reasons why you would not fully disclose information. And honestly, I would not expect them to here. I would, however, have liked a nugget of truth befitting the horror I witnessed on TV.
Hence my speculation: the kneecap was moved out of place due to a torn quadriceps tendon.
Whatever the injury, I find it hard to believe that she could be back in the gym within eight weeks and training to peak at the Olympic Games 10 months from now (if you’re doing the math, that gives Rebecca about eight months to train) without testing positive for a cocktail of banned substances.
“I would, however, have liked a nugget of truth befitting the horror I witnessed on TV.”
Well hey, if you believe the kneecap was moved out of place then that’s your nugget of truth right there!
“Well hey, if you believe the kneecap was moved out of place then that’s your nugget of truth right there!”
Had they not mentioned surgery to “reset and stabilize” her kneecap, that would probably have sufficed. However, muscles are what stabilize bones, and in this case it is the quadriceps muscles via tendons.
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00512
(If not the quadriceps tendon, I’m guessing the patellar tendon would be the next likely suspect.)
Besides, a comeback in eight weeks sounds a bit premature after an unfolding of events that produced so many sweaty eyes.
“Patellar dislocations can cause significant quadriceps muscle injuries, which can be made worse due to the effusion within the knee or to early onset of exercises and premature return to play.” -University of Connecticut Health Center
“Had they not mentioned surgery to “reset and stabilize” her kneecap, that would probably have sufficed. ”
What’s this now? One minute you’re saying you just want a nugget of truth the next you’re saying that’s not enough. Come on. Pick your story and stick with it.
“What’s this now? One minute you’re saying you just want a nugget of truth the next you’re saying that’s not enough. Come on. Pick your story and stick with it.”
Suppose an elite gymnast fell awkwardly from bars and lie motionless on the mat. While still unconscious, this person was carried off on a stretcher and rushed to the hospital.
The following day the diagnosis was revealed: the gymnast had ripped a rip.
To this we would say: “Seriously, a ripped rip?! This elite athlete was UNCONSCIOUS because they lost a layer of skin?”
Now a rip may have occurred, but it is obvious there is more to the story.
The same can be said about Rebecca’s injury. Becaue the diagnosis and prognosis are inconsistent, I would have liked a morsel of truth that was more believable.
Rebecca’s kneecap was dislocated due to a torn quadriceps (or patellar) tendon — it seems plausible enough. I’ll stick with it.
I’m just saying that If you agree that a dislocated kneecap plays some part of the story then that qualifies as a nugget of truth. If you’re version of events is true, they’ve actually given up more than a nugget of truth.
Rebecca’s hurt? Yes
Rebecca dislocated her kneecap? Yes
Rebecca tore something? No
That’s 2/3 of the truth according to you. More than a nugget.
[...] dislocated her knee cap (surgery Aug 25th), much like what happened to Christine (Peng Peng) Lee in [...]
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