BasketballJones wrote:At what age does a person lose the ability to create cartilage?

Serious question?

It doesn't happen all at once but it starts at approximately 16 years old and declines over the next 4-6 years. Most people cannot regrow cartlage by age 21. That's why the old (And current)treatment was to simply snip the cartilage wear it was torn (meniscectomy) so that it has a better shape, or to completely remove it.

Microfracture was discovered by accident when doctored found that when they did a procedure in the area where cartilage grows that required that the bone be fractured, the ooze (Like bleeding) grew as cartilage, but a different kind of cartilage, not the good stuff that you grow as a youngster. It doesn't work nearly as good as what one lost, but it is better than nothing. It is not ideal for running full court basketball on the professional level.

oohah

oohah wrote:

BasketballJones wrote:At what age does a person lose the ability to create cartilage?

Serious question?

It doesn't happen all at once but it starts at approximately 16 years old and declines over the next 4-6 years. Most people cannot regrow cartlage by age 21. That's why the old (And current)treatment was to simply snip the cartilage wear it was torn (meniscectomy) so that it has a better shape, or to completely remove it.

Microfracture was discovered by accident when doctored found that when they did a procedure in the area where cartilage grows that required that the bone be fractured, the ooze (Like bleeding) grew as cartilage, but a different kind of cartilage, not the good stuff that you grow as a youngster. It doesn't work nearly as good as what one lost, but it is better than nothing. It is not ideal for running full court basketball on the professional level.

oohah

Yep, a rare serious question.

Thanks.

I'm sad that I'll never grow any new cartilage though.

oohah

oohah wrote:

BasketballJones wrote:At what age does a person lose the ability to create cartilage?

Serious question?

It doesn't happen all at once but it starts at approximately 16 years old and declines over the next 4-6 years. Most people cannot regrow cartlage by age 21. That's why the old (And current)treatment was to simply snip the cartilage wear it was torn (meniscectomy) so that it has a better shape, or to completely remove it.

Microfracture was discovered by accident when doctored found that when they did a procedure in the area where cartilage grows that required that the bone be fractured, the ooze (Like bleeding) grew as cartilage, but a different kind of cartilage, not the good stuff that you grow as a youngster. It doesn't work nearly as good as what one lost, but it is better than nothing. It is not ideal for running full court basketball on the professional level.

oohah

With Houston the problem seemed to be his age. One night he would look ok but on the next game, he look like he was running in mud. It's funny that everyone says that Kidd's microfracture surgery was a success because I never believed that. He is flat footed but still able to push himself. But at times he appears to be the slowest guy on the court. Amare's surgery was most beneficial because of his young age but even he doesn't look like the same guy after. Still not perfect but like you say it is better than nothing.

BasketballJones wrote:

oohah wrote:

TheGame wrote:He should wear a knee brace to give his knee more support and MDA should limit him to 30 minutes a game. But he did look good.

Support is not the issue. The issue is cushion in the knee. I saw McGrady limping again tonight. This does not get better, it gets worse as one's knee takes more and more pounding. The enemy is the treacherous NBA schedule.

I think McGrady will be able to play, and he is very skilled so he can do some nice things, and I think he will get a new contract, but he is clearly diminished and will not be able to play anywhere near the way he used to in terms of athleticism.

He will probably have to sit out games because of the soreness that will accumulate in his knee. This is just the truth of what a microfracture does in a player who ahs it done in his late 20's early 30's, especially one who relies on rising up like McGRady.

Jason Kidd is the Uber-exception. Amare Stoudemire was smart to do it when he was very young and his body still had the ability to create cartilage (And he still does not fly like he used to). Zach Randolph can play with no knees.

oohah

At what age does a person lose the ability to create cartilage?

you can NEVER create cartilage.

Jamal Mashburn
Allan Houston
Afernee Hardway
Bryon Russell
Kerry Kittles
Terrell Brandon
Amare Stoudemire
Jason Kidd
Chris Webber
Kenyon Martin
Antonio McDyess

basically all of those players came back a shell of there former selves except for amar'e and kidd but as oohah pointed out, kidd had the surgery in a different part of his knee. it's kinda ridiculous to see what amar'e has been able to do since coming back.

nyk4ever wrote:when you look at this list, you kind of realize the road that mcgrady has to go down to be anywhere near the player he once was...

Jamal Mashburn
Allan Houston
Afernee Hardway
Bryon Russell
Kerry Kittles
Terrell Brandon
Amare Stoudemire
Jason Kidd
Chris Webber
Kenyon Martin
Antonio McDyess

basically all of those players came back a shell of there former selves except for amar'e and kidd but as oohah pointed out, kidd had the surgery in a different part of his knee. it's kinda ridiculous to see what amar'e has been able to do since coming back.

Yikes, I forgot about some of these names. Now I definitely believe Amare's age was the biggest factor in his success. Didn't most of those guys get their surgery around age 30?

Allanfan20 wrote:Martin had it in his late 20s, but I guess I could be wrong. He seemed young when he was traded from the Nets. I don't think McDyess had microfracture, but I could be wrong? Either way, he was in his mid to late 20s I believe...

Either way, it's real bad news if you get this surgery.

Some of these guys get it so randomly too.

Kenyon Martin was 27 when he had his surgery (I think he had one on each knee actually). He seems to have come back pretty well. He is still an above-average leaper, but nothing like when he was in New Jersey, and I think he plays a lot differently overall since the surgery. I would have to qualify his procedure as a success.

oohah

oohah wrote:According to the Daily News, McGrady asked to be taken out of the game: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/2010/02/22/2010-02-22_knicks_far_from_champs.html

They did not say it was because of knee pain, but I am not sure what else it could be except perhaps conditioning.

oohah

Here you go Dr. oohah

http://www.nba.com/knicks/gamerecaps/nykmilrecap100222.html

McGrady started at shooting guard for the second straight game, but he was a step slower than he was in his New York debut after bumping knees with an opposing player in the first half. He received treatment in the locker room during halftime but came up limping after draining a 3-pointer with 3:16 left in the fourth quarter, which happened to be the Knicks' last points of the game.

The good news, however, is that the injury has nothing to do with McGrady's microfracture knee surgery last season and he's hoping to play Tuesday night against the Celtics in Boston.

He is going to be current Grant Hill at best now. Which is not bad. But not a guy you consider wasting cap space on in 2010 besides the vet minimum.

TMS wrote:he's gonna get MLE offers from a buncha teams this summer IMO

He's going to have to play more than 2 games with us to get that.

I bet he doesn't play in Boston tonight. Then, maybe another few uninspiring performances until we see what we saw in his debut.

Maybe he's lucky to average 25 minutes and 16 points over 24 games or so. For some teams, that might be enough to give him the MLE.

Don't see how resigning him here makes sense unless he does better than that in terms of production.