Torn Mensiscus (sp?) Pierce unsure about Game 2?

[BASSTHUMPER]

he got right back on the floor after that injury and i'm sure in 3 days he will be fine~

press buildin hype~

[CelticsPrideKG]

he got right back on the floor after that injury and i'm sure in 3 days he will be fine~

press buildin hype~

He's certainly helping them with that hype then.  I mean he could barely walk it seemed after the press conference but he could have been selling it a bit for all I know.  I doubt it though.

[biggs]

... with treatment, he should be fine.
1 down... 3 to go...BEAT LA

you're sig rules!!!

[Hoops]

It's funny, I had almost the exact same injury about 3 weeks ago playing in my weekly pickup basketball game. I planted funny and turned and I heard my knee pop. Scared the crap out of me. It hurt, but not so bad that I stopped playing. So, yeah, I think I have a pretty good idea how it feels to play after popping the knee like that - it hurts a little, but doesn't really limit your effectiveness.

However, after cooling down and sleeping on it, my knee got significantly worse the next day. In my case it was the MCL which left my knee a little unstable. If not for the instability, I'll bet I could have toughed it out if I had to play a game 3 days later. That said, it's taken almost 3 weeks for my knee to get better.

I realize my injury isn't his injury, but my experience makes me think he'll definitely play on Sunday. He'll have a full staff of professional trainers working on him - I had a bag of frozen peas. He'll have the best athletic knee brace/support money can buy - I had nothing. I'm as nervous as everyone else, but my experience gives me hope. But he's going to have to gut it out for the rest of the series - he won't be pain free.

Pierce is the freaking MAN!

[Norcalceltic]

I hope he did'nt tear anything. They are saying it's a sprain/strain, but I won't feel good until he gets that MRI. I pray he is healthy enough to play, and play at the level he is capable of. Paul needs to call Terrell Owens and borrow that Hyperbaric chamber he sleeps in. We also need Mr. Miyagi to come and bless that knee.

[bandonox]

... with treatment, he should be fine.
1 down... 3 to go...BEAT LA

you're sig rules!!!

thanks, bud

[ChampKind]

I've torn my meniscus before - I missed a week of high school football and iced it for the rest of the season.  At its worse it humbled me a couple of times after some quick cuts, but it can be played through.  Also, Paul is much tougher than I am, so I doubt that he'll be too shaken up; although he might start the next game sluggish.

The bigger concern here is that if he requires post-season surgery, they may have to remove the torn cartilage rather than repair it.  If the cartilage is removed, he'll be reduced to a bone on bone status in his knee, which would be conducive to microfractures.  That's a big if though, and I in no way mean to jinx our captain.

[vinnie]

Pierce was able to play on total adrenaline tonight.  The way he hobbled into and out of the press conference after the game, if he does play on Sunday or even in the next two or three games, he will basically be playing on one leg.  Also, what about Perk?  Is he going to be able to play?  Bottom line is the C's, I think, are going to have to win this series either without the captain or the captain on one leg.  It is going to be really tough, obvsiously.

[Donoghus]

Like ChampKind, I've experienced this type of injury before although it didn't end up resulting in a serious tear or surgery.  I can tell you that at first, the adrenaline will get you through it. (Went back in and finished up a football game after hurting my knee.)  However, once the game ends and the movement slows down, the knee swells up like a grapefruit and there is some serious pain.  I remember that I wasn't able to stretch out my leg fully and I had an extremely tough time trying to sleep that night.  The injury lingered for a few days but depending on the severity of the sprain (if its not a tear), he should be alright for Sunday.  Once the swelling subsides, (for me I believe it was a couple of days) and you can straighten out the leg, things do get better.

Just speaking from personal experience.  Hopefully, Pierce's conditioning and the quality, professional level medical treatment he'll be getting will lead to a quick recovery.

[wdleehi]

I have been looking around other sites, Laker fans are accusing Pierce of faking it.


Apparently, that's what callers in LA are saying as well.


I don't know what is funnier, this or blaming the refs.

[bandonox]

They are in denial...
They can't believe that the almighty zen master forgot to foul in the closing seconds...
outcoach doc....ha.
That's not even outcoaching Isiah....

[Bahku]

Don't want to give too much away, but I know this injury pretty well. With the way he was moving on it in the game, (especially lateral motion and weight-shift), I can say with about 95% surety that he didn't tear his meniscus, but most likely strained it.

There are actually two menisci between the tibia and femur, and very often the injury involves both. One problem with this injury is that it's easy to re-injure it, and with each additional injury, the range-of-motion of the patient becomes more and more limited, with the build-up of scar tissue. Even with a strain it should be treated quickly and thoroughly with the old "RICE" standby, (rest, ice, compression, and elevation).

Therapeutic ultrasound is also a key tool in reducing inflammation, which is the key to healing the meniscus. It depends on the physician, but while there are some miniscus injuries that can be "played through", by the look of his initial reaction and pain, if it is truly his miniscus, most doctors would recommend staying off it as much as possible.

Another draw-back is that there is very little blood circulation to the menisci, which makes healing very slow, unfortunately. Compression and ultrasound work to increase blood circulation to the area and speed up the healing process. There has also been a lot of promising work done with electrical stimulation with such soft-tissue injuries, but not widely used as yet.

Personally, I'm hoping it's just a knee contusion, because even a sprain or strain of the meniscus can mean a lengthy healing process.

[westupcali]

Great great game captain Paul Pie Pie Pierce. I had talked to my medical sources and they say he's gonna be fine. He just needs to rest it up, ice it up, compress it up, elevate it up. Cheers to captain Pie Pie Pierce. Now we must focus on game 2, here we come. Go Boston!!!!!

[bstnsportsfan3]

All I know is Pierce said he heard a pop, which is the last thing I wanted to hear.  Not trying to be a pessimist, but that is something people hear / sense when they tear a knee ligament.  Of course, even if it is a tear, depending on the type and given the strength of his legs, he may be able to gut it out for the series anyway. . . .

But here's hoping its just a treatable sprain and the captain is okay.  Lord knows the Celtics need him.  And, regardless of the outcome of the series, it would be quite sad if he were unable to participate.

Anyway, I would imagine that most people, like myself, are so pumped right now that they arent really concerned / are presuming he is okay because he came back in the game.

This is not true....i tore my mensiscus 3 months ago and i heared the pop also...i was on crutches for a week...then no physical activity for 6 more weeks....now it feels better...its still torn and hurts from titme to time cause i cant afford to have the surgery....but its ok....but if its a strain like paul said thats much better....if its torn....he is more then likely done for the finals....but i dont think he could made that comback if it was torn...i couldn't walk afterwards

[Bahku]

All I know is Pierce said he heard a pop, which is the last thing I wanted to hear.  Not trying to be a pessimist, but that is something people hear / sense when they tear a knee ligament.  Of course, even if it is a tear, depending on the type and given the strength of his legs, he may be able to gut it out for the series anyway. . . .

But here's hoping its just a treatable sprain and the captain is okay.  Lord knows the Celtics need him.  And, regardless of the outcome of the series, it would be quite sad if he were unable to participate.

Anyway, I would imagine that most people, like myself, are so pumped right now that they arent really concerned / are presuming he is okay because he came back in the game.

This is not true....i tore my mensiscus 3 months ago and i heared the pop also...i was on crutches for a week...then no physical activity for 6 more weeks....now it feels better...its still torn and hurts from titme to time cause i cant afford to have the surgery....but its ok....but if its a strain like paul said thats much better....if its torn....he is more then likely done for the finals....but i dont think he could made that comback if it was torn...i couldn't walk afterwards

Hate to say it, but even a strain of the menisci can be a lengthy healing process, as there is very little blood circulation to that tissue, and it is prone to re-injury. (More info in my post below). From the symptoms he exhibited tonight, I'd guess it was only a strain, or even more likely, (and more hopeful), just a contusion of the knee.