Medical Clarification

by Jeff Clark on Apr 16, 2009 1:40 PM EDT in Boston Celtics News & Links

There's been a lot of debate over what really is wrong with Garnett. Hopefully this helps clear some of the confusion up (Globe):

Kevin Garnett will miss the NBA playoffs and likely have surgery on his right knee during the offseason, Celtics coach Doc Rivers said today.

The surgery will be to remove a spur in Garnett's knee. But a strained popliteus tendon -- and not the spur -- has affected Garnett's inability to return from a Feb. 19 injury. The tendon strain must heal naturally, and has taken longer than anticipated.

Wyc seems to be optimistic of the long term:

Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck said he's confident Garnett is going to be "absolutely fine, 100 percent, over the long term. The short term is much less clear at this point."

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right on cue.....knew surgery was around the corner

get it done and get better

by celticinorlando on Apr 16, 2009 1:43 PM EDT reply actions

Come someone clarify...

how serious a strain of that sort is?

by illantari on Apr 16, 2009 1:45 PM EDT reply actions

“hes not out offically…but hes out in my mind”

""he needs surgery, but not on the injury"""

clarifacation?

by TheAncientRivalry on Apr 16, 2009 1:48 PM EDT reply actions

My guess is that the muscle tendon tore away from the bone. When this happens calcifications (spurs) can grow in the space created as a bad part of the healing process. My guess is that the spurs will be removed and the tendon reattached (not left to heal on it’s own). We forget that medicine is both a science and an art. We expect an MRI or CAT scan to show anything that is wrong. But they don’t. When the area is scoped the surgeon will be able to see directly what the problem is and correct it. I’m not a doctor, but this is my guess of what is going on.

"I don't come to play, I come to WIN"--Larry Bird
"Criminally Negligent Officiating"--Tommy Heinsohn

by TrueGreen on Apr 16, 2009 7:43 PM EDT up reply actions

so i guess the plan was

to have it heal naturally…but it was too slow…so he had 2 issues with his knee…the strained tendon and the bone spur..one needs surgery the other didn’t

by celticinorlando on Apr 16, 2009 1:49 PM EDT reply actions

Gut Wretching

I’m glad we FINALLY got some scoop on what exactly was wrong with KG. Not all of us are medically, technically, and logically challenged. I’m sure the Cs were trying to go a tad Patriots here with the details of it.

Here’s the best article I could come up with. This is a overlooked but oft problematic little muscle when strained. I’m guessing KGs was severe, as he could hardly walk afterward. Most feel a slight pitch and then soreness later.

http://www.rocklandroadrunners.org/articles/JPKknees.html

this hurts. lets see how it plays out.

by BirdNerd on Apr 16, 2009 2:03 PM EDT reply actions

A popliteus tenosynovitis?

Makes sense. Of course, it’s wise to not trust them, but it may be the case.

If that was the case, they already knew for awhile the inflammation wasn’t going away and that Garnett would be out for the playoffs.

And makes the misdiagnosis theory a lot more credible. Injuries in the popliteus are very easy to miss and they won’t go away without direct massage.

by cordobes on Apr 16, 2009 2:04 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah, it is.

The focus now has to turn to next season. Get the knee cleaned up and strengthened and get it done right now.

As for the daily PR gaffes on this injury, management forfeits a bunch of credibility on this deal.

by CoachBo on Apr 16, 2009 7:44 PM EDT up reply actions

Get Well Soon

Hope the surgery and rehab go off w/o a hitch. Who knows maybe he will come back like some cyborg or something! KG on steroids! poor choice of words

Our Capt’ will just take over now!! #34 for life!!!

Kick in the door waving the 4-4.....all you heard was poppa don't hit me no mo'

by CaliforniaGreen on Apr 16, 2009 2:19 PM EDT reply actions

Would it be fair to say that the popliteus was injured during a hyperextension rather than the bone spurs? I guess I don’t see how the bone spurs relate to the tendon.

by GroverTheClover on Apr 16, 2009 2:20 PM EDT reply actions

someone find the wheelchair

that Paul used last year and let’s start wheeling KG around in it. Maybe there’s some good luck still left in that chair.

obviously, this is awful news today. not sure if i can bare to watch the playoffs now.

by reggie35 on Apr 16, 2009 2:48 PM EDT reply actions

Bummer -- what bothers me

My guess is the Celtics were more aware of this than they are letting on. As a season ticketholder, to be honest, I feel misled and slightly abused. It costs a lot of money to watch these games and in my opinion professional sports teams need to be more honest and upfront with the fans paying the freight.

by vinnie on Apr 16, 2009 3:03 PM EDT reply actions

That isn't fair....

The team has to do what is best for the team. Fans pay to see the team win. I have every faith that they didn’t have the info, or if they did they kept it quiet for competitive reasons. Perhaps they kept it from the players in hopes that they would work through this trial instead of being depressed. You gotta admit Big Baby has come a long way since KGs injury…

It is amazing how many people I have seen talk about the celtic front office being worthless because of this!!
Really?!? Them not telling you every detail of KGs injury more than offsets the trades for KG and Ray, the drafting of BB, LP, RR, KP, the late addition of PJ, Starbury, and free agent pickups like Eddie and Posey despite having the salaries of the Big 3. I’m sure many people will throw Scal, and Mikki in here and say how they suck, but they are deep bench players, to ridicule the front office on them is just crazy…

Give them a break, I’m sure they had to figure out the best way to handle the situation. I can’t stand America’s “customer is always right” (biggest load of crap) mindset…

by BuckeyeCelt on Apr 16, 2009 3:48 PM EDT up reply actions

please

everybody give up this "we were lied to" chant.

a) kg’s injury is the type that you need to wait and see what happens. it is a constant rediagnosis of time frame, etc. so the team themselves didn’t know.

b) it is the franchise’s job to do what is best for the franchise. yes it matters how they treat the fans but it wasn’t a case here of conspiring to screw over the fans. they do what they think best to win games. period.

related to b) you never heard fans complaining about being lied to when red would purposely slag off the players he wanted to draft and praise those he had no plan on drafting. guess what, you were lied to then in the name of winning games. gonna be disgusted about that as well?

by ChainSmokingLikeDino on Apr 16, 2009 7:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Exactly

The idiots on this board are operating on the assumption that modern medicine can correctly diagnose and treat everything from the moment it happens. They can’t. Some things are hard to diagnose. And almost all sports injuries are treated conservatively from the onset, with surgery as the last resort. As it appears now, they thought the tendon strain would heal faster than it has (or hasn’t, as the case may be). That’s why the timeline kept changing, not because of some conspiracy to sell tickets. Come on, people, get a grip.

by SalmonAndMashedPotatoes on Apr 16, 2009 9:01 PM EDT up reply actions

I wish KG a safe and speedy recovery. Hopefully the time off from this injury will offset some of the wear and tear from the long season last year and he can come back strong and rejuvenated.

by twinbree on Apr 16, 2009 3:09 PM EDT reply actions

What does Wyc’s opinion have to do with it? He was saying last night that KG would be back for the playoffs. Through no fault of my own, I from hear on out only believe what I see. If KG comes back, plays fine and is effective? Then I will declare him back, playing fine and effective. I’m sorry Celtics organization, but you brought my skepticism on yourselves.

by BOSPORTS on Apr 16, 2009 3:24 PM EDT reply actions

My stomach is in my throat...

Been a die hard fan of KG for over a decade, and this is the first time I’ve had to deal with him being somewhat seriously injured… and at the worst possible time.

Get well soon big fella… rest up and show em that you still got a lot left next year.

by Big Ticket on Apr 16, 2009 3:28 PM EDT reply actions

What still pisses off is why they still need to leave some hope.

Why can’t they say he’s done surgery next week. Why do they still have to leave that glimmer. Oh well, just goes to show you is you never know what’s going to happen from season to season. I’m really hoping our “Youngs” develop a little more with KG being out in the playoffs and we get one more run next year. Playoffs just won’t be the same this year.

If the Cowboys could only play like a team with passion and unity like my beloved
Boston Celtics, I would be happy.

by Captain Comeback on Apr 16, 2009 4:37 PM EDT reply actions

it continues to be tough to comment on this situation but yes if the problem is the tendinitis

then there certainly is reason to imagine/hope that KG could make an appearance at a key time with no long term risk.

They kept saying behind the knee and they meant it. It was hard to know if they meant behind the knee or behind the “knee cap.” so spur may well not be the problem. So i find myself thinking he could play. and that is going to torture me. My bad not theirs.

by wahz on Apr 16, 2009 5:23 PM EDT reply actions

What Really Matters

We say we are lied to. We are given false hope. We talk about whether KG should sit on the bench when he can’t play. What is really important here is that KG is hurt. I’m sure he feels awful that he cannot play and help the team. What is important is not how WE feel. What is important is that KG get well.

"I don't come to play, I come to WIN"--Larry Bird
"Criminally Negligent Officiating"--Tommy Heinsohn

by TrueGreen on Apr 16, 2009 7:48 PM EDT reply actions