This article sheds some light on the back injury going back to the Boston series:

http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/knicksblog/stoudemire_declares_himself_pain_nKdqmPDGJWD7Q9jgRReKYL?utm_medium=rss&utm_content=Knicks%20Blog

Basically, he had the buldging disc back then, that contributed to the muscle pull, and then the disc worsened over the summer. He couldn't use the medical staff, and feels that hindered his recovery. I guess he's been playing with it all season which is why he looked like he'd lost his athleticism...

Stoudemire’s back injury first occurred vs. Boston in the playoffs last April but the bulging disc did not appear to be a big deal when first discovered.

Stoudemire, in making his first extended interview since his injury, said his bulging disk became more noticeable after an MRI in late summer that extended his lockout rehab.

Stoudemire blames the lockout on his continued woes. He felt he wasn’t able to properly rehab with the same Knicks medical staff that treated him last April. Once July 1st began, he was unable to use the Knicks medical staff and felt he wasn’t prepared when training camp opened. Stoudemire, though, said he didn’t feel symptoms from his bulging disk until the Detroit game last month.

“I wanted to use the guys who were working on me but I couldn’t,’’ Stoudemire said. “This rehab we took was much more aggressive. The problem with the lockout, you can’t use the Knicks training staff. When the injury first happened in Boston (last April), I couldn’t use the same training staff here that knew about the injury,. I had to go out and find other specialists to work my back. It was somewhat displeasing thing for me. I wanted to use guys that I was working with .’’

Why did they bother keeping it a secret all this time? Why did he keep lying to everyone saying there were no problems? Anayways he says he's pain free now- I hope he is, but why should we believe him?

gunsnewing wrote:Lets hope that Amare plays 25mins tonight and isnt out for the season after reaggravating his back injury

Let's just hope he doesn't dunk during warm-ups.

RoyBatty wrote:And why do they have that idiotic rule that players can't have any contact with trainers or even medical staff during the lockout. I understand management/coaches not being able to talk to players. But medical staff??? When they could be the guys most familiar with the person and the injury. Just plain dumb rule.

Insurance.

Amare makes 20 mil a year. Why couldn't he replecate his own people to extend his treatment and rehab. Its not like the lockout just fell out of the sky.

The Knicks staf are employees and the players were not duing the lockout.

Coaches could not have contacts with players, even go to weddings!

And now we suppose to believe we are getting the truth? I doubt it.

holfresh wrote:So what was the reason for the massive dropoff in production the second half of last season where he didn't seem to have lift or play at the same speed