Carpenter: Bone Spurs

[Joe Shlabotnik]

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports ... enDocument

Cardinals medical supervisor Dr. George Paletta confirmed Tuesday that bone spurs are the source of an elbow impingement affecting ace Chris Carpenter but called it a "low to moderate" condition that should not imperil his season.

Carpenter will be evaluated for the next 10-14 days, at which time the club will determine whether current methods will calm the persistent stiffness and swelling Carpenter has experienced since his opening day start against the New York Mets.

"The tricky question that's unanswered is why did he throw fine all spring training? What happened April 1 so he woke up April 2 with a swollen elbow?" Paletta said.

Paletta said the club ordered an MRI of Carpenter's arm in February for insurance purposes after signing him to a three-year extension two months earlier. Results of the MRI performed Monday in St. Louis were consistent with the earlier exam, Paletta said.

Paletta said he did not perform an MRI after Carpenter's elbow first swelled because a diagnosis was apparent without it.

[jim]

I'm going to take a wait and see. Seems like we've been on a roller coaster ride with Carp with this, and I'm jumping off the ride.

Anyone know if surgery is required the recovery time? I assume it has to be much less than a ligament repair. Would surgery end his season if it came to that?

[Joe Shlabotnik]

I'm going to take a wait and see. Seems like we've been on a roller coaster ride with Carp with this, and I'm jumping off the ride.

Anyone know if surgery is required the recovery time? I assume it has to be much less than a ligament repair. Would surgery end his season if it came to that?

The article goes on to say 4-6 weeks if they open him up. They plan on waiting 10-14 days and see what it looks like.

I don't know, I might just want them to get it over with and make sure he's at his best down the stretch. But I'm a kool-aid drinker that worships at the LaDuncussa shrine. Whatever they feel is best is OK with me.

[jagtrader]

I thought it was bone spurs when I heard the explanation. It seems a little early to say it won't imperil his season. You never know how one's arm is going to recover after surgery.

[Leroy]

Stupid milk.

[haltz]

In Marc Normandin's player profile on Carp it says that surgery to remove a bone spur was what caused him to miss part of the 1999 season (although I may have said that before and been corrected, but I can't quite recall). Don't bone spurs form as a biological compensation for joint issues, or I guess, arthritis maybe in this case?

Sounds like something that he has just been, consciously or not, dealing with for a long time, and just reared its head for whatever reason. Obviously, I have no clue though.

[jim]

I have absolutely no idea haltz. When I heard that with Carp I assumed he had bone fragments floating around in there - bone chips. A bone spur is different that a chip, I have a bone spur in both of my feet. That is caused by a ligament pulling on a point where it is attached and your body growing the spur. I have no idea if it's the same thing in an elbow.

[a_smith]

Stupid milk.

thanks leroy. I was having a grumpy morning, and i just laughed so hard i l lost a mouthful of coffee onto the keyboard.

that goes into a top ten leroy 1-liners list.

[StatmanCrothers]

I chose this topic for my first ANAGRAMANIA entry of the season on my blog

ANAGRAMANIA 2007

"Status: Carpenter's Sore Elbow"

rearrange the letters and you get this amazing result.

[doe_boy]

I chose this topic for my first ANAGRAMANIA entry of the season on my blog

ANAGRAMANIA 2007

"Status: Carpenter's Sore Elbow"

rearrange the letters and you get this amazing result.

'Damn!', said I as I rubbed my eyes in disbelief.