Frank not ready until all-star break

[Controlled Chaos]

ptatc.. just a bit of info I want to share.. Frank was out of his cast and in a walking boot 6 weeks before the Sox released that info. Aaron and him were working out a good month before it was reported. He was walking on the treadmill at a 7% incline at 5 mph before ST even started. These are the things that I go by when I say that the Sox are being overly cautious in reporting anything. Frank is still hurting, as I'm sure anyone would be.. but I honestly think (from him and those close to him) that he's further along than they are reporting just in case there is a setback. They are definitely being cautious.. and the scar tissue was a setback as you stated it would be. You've been on the money in responding to what the Sox are reporting. Your info is great in relation to the medical side. It's nice to have someone here that can explain those details.

In my medical opinion Steff, 7% incline and 5mph...he was running on that treadmill!! Go Frank!!!!!!!!!

[Steff]

In my medical opinion Steff,  7% incline and 5mph...he was running on that treadmill!!  Go Frank!!!!!!!!! 

 

5 mph is just a bit less than a slow "trot" for me.. and since he's at least a good foot and a half taller than me with a huge stride I would guess that it was just a medium walk for him. The 7% incline is more impressive to me. That puts a lot of pressure on the area.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

I believe Frank's atrophy was to be expected.  I don't believe that would be a problem if he could work his leg without pain.  He may have found a way to do so anyway.  Perhaps an insider can answer that question.

 

Yes atrophy is expected on any muscle that has a cast or a walking boot on it for a long time. I didn't mean to imply the problem was with his calf. I was only observing that his calf looked more like the calf of a 6'5" 175pounder then a 275 pounder meaning the whole area looked weak and would need time to recover. I know what the injury is and know the residual effects of the surgery and the recovery.

 

Even when he does return I doubt he will be pain free. Frank's the man and I know we all wish him a speedy recovery.

Edited April 26, 2005 by CaliSoxFanViaSWside

[striker]

We love you Frank. But we don't need you. As the saying goes, "If it's not broke, then don't fix it."

[Steff]

Even when he does return I doubt he will be pain free. Frank's the man and I know we all wish him a speedy recovery.

 

 

Absolutely... he's said many times that this is something he will have to tolerate the rest of his life. He compared it to the paif of arthritis in humid weather.

[SnB]

We love you Frank. But we don't need you. As the saying goes, "If it's not broke, then don't fix it."

 

If jermaine keeps this up we will.

This can't last forever, we will need frank.

[The Critic]

We love you Frank. But we don't need you. As the saying goes, "If it's not broke, then don't fix it."

I understand what you're saying, but I still think they need him.

A good start doesn't minimize his importance to the Sox lineup.

Great power source, great eye at the plate, great RBI guy.

The Sox lineup is FAR more dangerous with him than without him. That hasn't changed.

[ptatc]

ptatc.. just a bit of info I want to share.. Frank was out of his cast and in a walking boot 6 weeks before the Sox released that info. Aaron and him were working out a good month before it was reported. He was walking on the treadmill at a 7% incline at 5 mph before ST even started. These are the things that I go by when I say that the Sox are being overly cautious in reporting anything. Frank is still hurting, as I'm sure anyone would be.. but I honestly think (from him and those close to him) that he's further along than they are reporting just in case there is a setback. They are definitely being cautious.. and the scar tissue was a setback as you stated it would be. You've been on the money in responding to what the Sox are reporting. Your info is great in relation to the medical side. It's nice to have someone here that can explain those details.

 

That's good to hear that he is that much further along than they are reporting. I'm still concerned though because it should still be further along. I'm curious about a few of the comments you made. You're right that 5 mph is barely a jog. The 7% incline implies to me that they were concerned about the the motion at his ankle and thus made him walk "uphill." This however increases the stress in his foot where the problem resides. I hope they can find someway to resolve the inflammation in the tendon becuase this isn't something you can work through. If the pain continues he will be unable to run comfortably and even a DH needs to run to first.

 

If you can, I'd be interested if you hear anything else. You can just PM me if you wish.

[sircaffey]

Whether Frank plays this season or not, we will be picking up a big bat mid-season. I have little doubt that Kenny is going to sit on his hands. And if Frank is out the whole season, then that leaves DH open and room for Kenny to go get that Delgado-type player he tried to get last season. With that said, I believe Frank will be back before the all-star break.

[Be Good]

This is not good news at all.  We are going to need his bat in the lineup.

Can't another Sox player use it, while he's still hurt

 

 

Dam, his return date keeps getting pushed back.

I wish Big Frank a healthy return. As I dont want to see him re-injure his ankle and have to return date pushed back again, or threaten his carrer.

[CWSGuy406]

We love you Frank. But we don't need you. As the saying goes, "If it's not broke, then don't fix it."

 

That's the dumbest thing I've read on here in a long, long time... :banghead

[Steff]

That's the dumbest thing I've read on here in a long, long time...  :banghead

 

 

 

Look around Keith.. I'm sure you can find something a bit more stupid..

[LosMediasBlancas]

Not sure if this posted elsewhere, but here is an update

http://www.suntimes.com/output/sox/cst-spt-ssep28.html

Edited April 28, 2005 by LosMediasBlancas

[Whitesoxfan56]

GET WELL FRANK WE NEED YOU!

[JUGGERNAUT]

ptatc your insight will come in handy here. From all the reports I've read & I'm sure others have read as well, Frank had little to no problem with light running. Jogging or treadmill work if you will. That's why his optimism was saying mid-April back in Feb & even Mar. But then he tried doing some sprints & that's where the pain showed up. As you eluded to they are doing all they can to treat that pain.

 

Is there any hope in the fact that he can jog but he can't sprint? Does the idea of playing with pain risk further injury?

[RockRaines]

ptatc your insight will come in handy here.  From all the reports I've read & I'm sure others have read as well, Frank had little to no problem with light running.  Jogging or treadmill work if you will.  That's why his optimism was saying mid-April back in Feb & even Mar. But then he tried doing some sprints & that's where the pain showed up.  As you eluded to they are doing all they can to treat that pain.

 

Is there any hope in the fact that he can jog but he can't sprint?  Does the idea of playing with pain risk further injury?

My questions exactly. If the doctors feel like he is fine, and its just alittle pain that he has to work through, then he should be working through it. I have rehabbed after surgery, and half the battle is just dealing with the pain, even though you are not risking further injury, you feel like you are. He needs to just keep working it, and the threshold of pain and inflammation will keep getting higher and higher.

[JUGGERNAUT]

The shockwave treatment is at least intriguing. Thomas seems to be responding to it. It's helping to break up the scar tissue & relieve pressure on the bone.

 

We need our career .996 OPS hitter back in there. He had a .997 OPS before he went down in 2004. Everett's done a good job but he can do an even better job playing RF with Thomas at DH. Perez is proving to be a big waste of space & when Thomas returns he's the most likely to lose his spot.

[doUrememberwhen]

Grant Hill?

[Texsox]

Couple thoughts reading through the thread. 1st Base has to be addressed for next year and Frank shouldn't be considered the everyday 1st baseman, no matter how healthy he returns.

 

Of course Frank adds tremendous help in the area we are struggling in, offense. A healthy Frank is important if we are going to get over the hump later this summer.

 

I never believe the stories coming out of the Sox. They play faster and loser with accuracy than most teams. I think Steff nailed in when she suggested the club is offering a worse case scenario. That's probably a good idea. IIRC the first date had him back last August. This seems to be a moving target. Anyone that has built anything understands the foundation is the key. If that isn't plumb and right, trouble creeps in up the chain. That's Frank's ankle.

[JUGGERNAUT]

Frank ran hard on Sat. With a mouthpiece in place he ran hard enough to pass Konerko around the bases. He was in a lot of pain afterwards but felt encouraged. He plans to run hard today.

 

He's showing a desire to bear the pain as long as it doesn't affect his ability to hit & score. I think we could see Frank back before the end of the Chi-Town series.

[ptatc]

ptatc your insight will come in handy here.  From all the reports I've read & I'm sure others have read as well, Frank had little to no problem with light running.  Jogging or treadmill work if you will.  That's why his optimism was saying mid-April back in Feb & even Mar. But then he tried doing some sprints & that's where the pain showed up.  As you eluded to they are doing all they can to treat that pain.

 

Is there any hope in the fact that he can jog but he can't sprint?  Does the idea of playing with pain risk further injury?

 

The problem he is having, hopefully is really unrelated to the original injury. What has happened is that he has developed tendonitis in the tendons on the inside of hisn foot due to the workouts. This is not a "no pain no gain situation" There is normal pain after surgery during rehab. Frank is far beyond that. This is pain that will not allow him to run without suffering consequences that day or the next. It is painful to the point that he will not be able to put much weight on it. So the light jogging may not cause pain but he will not be able to run to first without problems occurring then or later.

 

The irony of the shockwave therapy is that is the same procedure Maggs had on his knee. The difference is that it is approved in the US for sfot tissue problems mostly in the foot but not bone problems. Maggs had a high dose treatment where he was put under anesthetic. I'm not sure if Frank had this or the low dose version where he is awake. The purpose is to cause microtrauma to the tissue to increase blood flow and stimulate healing. This is somewhat of a last try thing before he must be shut down for a long period of time. Hopefully they give the tendon time to rest and heal then continue with the rehab.

 

As I have previously said with his history of foot problems they need to very careful with this otherwise it could become a permanent problem and career threatening.

[JUGGERNAUT]

The problem he is having, hopefully is really unrelated to the original injury. What has happened is that he has developed tendonitis in the tendons on the inside of hisn foot due to the workouts. This is not a "no pain no gain situation" There is normal pain after surgery during rehab. Frank is far beyond that. This is pain that will not allow him to run without suffering consequences that day or the next. It is painful to the point that he will not be able to put much weight on it. So the light jogging may not cause pain but he will not be able to run to first without problems occurring then or later.

 

The irony of the shockwave therapy is that is the same procedure Maggs had on his knee. The difference is that it is approved in the US for sfot tissue problems mostly in the foot but not bone problems. Maggs had a high dose treatment where he was put under anesthetic. I'm not sure if Frank had this or the low dose version where he is awake. The purpose is to cause microtrauma to the tissue to increase blood flow and stimulate healing. This is somewhat of a last try thing before he must be shut down for a long period of time. Hopefully they give the tendon time to rest and heal then continue with the rehab.

 

As I have previously said with his history of foot problems they need to very careful with this otherwise it could become a permanent problem and career threatening.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Ok that's obviously a worse case scenario. Do you have a best case?

[ptatc]

Ok that's obviously a worse case scenario.  Do you have a best case?

 

Sure, the best would be that the shockwave works and he restsabout a week. The tendon begins to heal and with the rehab is running mostly painfree in about 2 weeks. After that he begins his minor league assignment. That is probably the best. However the fact that they needed to do the shockwave means the tendonitis is far along. I would say that a mid-June return is probably the best we could hope for but a July is probably the most realistic.

 

Again this is all conjucture on my part but with the info out there, it all seems reasonable.

[JUGGERNAUT]

Great so we can still possibly see him vs the CHC in late June. That's what I'm hoping.

[ptatc]

Great so we can still possibly see him vs the CHC in late June.  That's what I'm hoping.

 

It's poissible. Tendonitis is tricky. It can resolve as quickly as it shows up or it can be a lifetime problem.