CatmanForever
13 Jul 2007, 10:29
Rooke chases German hammy fix
13 July 2007 Herald Sun
Mike Shehan
GEELONG'S Max Rooke flew to Germany yesterday in search of a radical cure for the hamstring problem that threatens his season.
Rooke, who suffered a severe hamstring tear in the game against Sydney on June 30, will see Dr Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfarth, a world leader in the treatment of soft-tissue injuries.
He has secured an appointment for Monday and will stay in Munich for 10-14 days.
Geelong is hoping the exercise will cut the traditional recovery period by at least a fortnight.
Rooke, an automatic inclusion in the Cats' best 18, tore the hamstring so badly the club feared he might be finished for the season.
The original prognosis was 4-6 weeks, but football operations manager Neil Balme said last night the fear was Rooke might be out even longer.
"This guy in Germany apparently gets some pretty good results in terms of recovery time with hamstrings," Balme said.
"It's an alterative treatment, apparently, but don't ask me what he does.
"Clearly, he does something that no one in Australia does, whatever it is."
Many of Muller-Wohlfarth's treatments are controversial, including using injections of a substance called Hylart, extracted from the combs of roosters, which is claimed to help lubricate knee injuries and take away the pain.
He has also injected honey or calves' blood into patients.
Rooke's trip had its origins when Geelong's match committee challenged the club's medical department to "think outside the square" on the midfielder.
"We said, 'Hang on, is there anything we can do to hasten the recovery?'," Balme said.
Geelong doctor Chris Bradshaw said he had used Muller-Wohlfarth during his time at Premier League club Fulham.
Ronaldo, Maurice Greene, Darren Gough and Jose Maria Olazabal are among international sportsmen the Bayern Munich club doctor has helped.
He is also credited with curing soccer star Michael Owen's hamstring problem in time to play at the Euro 2000 tournament.
A Sydney Swans delegation headed by director of football Andrew Ireland visited Muller-Wohlfarth at his clinic last summer.
The Swans are acknowledged as the leaders in sports rehabilitation in the AFL.
The German exercise is expected to cost Geelong as much as $20,000, but Rooke, 25, is seen as an essential player in the upcoming finals campaign.
Balme would not reveal the cost, but said: "It's not an inexpensive exercise, no.
"There's accommodation, (business class) airfares, and the treatment."
Coach Mark Thompson said last night: "It was looking like he might miss 6-8 weeks, which would mean we wouldn't play him (again this year).
"It was a pretty bad one; he's had hamstring problems all year, really.
"We just want to be as professional as we can and to win as many games as we can."
Balme said the club's objective was to "give everyone on our list the opportunity to play more rather than less".
"To make sure we have as many players available as possible," he said.
Particularly the better players.
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,22065448%255E20322,00.html
13 July 2007 Herald Sun
Mike Shehan
GEELONG'S Max Rooke flew to Germany yesterday in search of a radical cure for the hamstring problem that threatens his season.
Rooke, who suffered a severe hamstring tear in the game against Sydney on June 30, will see Dr Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfarth, a world leader in the treatment of soft-tissue injuries.
He has secured an appointment for Monday and will stay in Munich for 10-14 days.
Geelong is hoping the exercise will cut the traditional recovery period by at least a fortnight.
Rooke, an automatic inclusion in the Cats' best 18, tore the hamstring so badly the club feared he might be finished for the season.
The original prognosis was 4-6 weeks, but football operations manager Neil Balme said last night the fear was Rooke might be out even longer.
"This guy in Germany apparently gets some pretty good results in terms of recovery time with hamstrings," Balme said.
"It's an alterative treatment, apparently, but don't ask me what he does.
"Clearly, he does something that no one in Australia does, whatever it is."
Many of Muller-Wohlfarth's treatments are controversial, including using injections of a substance called Hylart, extracted from the combs of roosters, which is claimed to help lubricate knee injuries and take away the pain.
He has also injected honey or calves' blood into patients.
Rooke's trip had its origins when Geelong's match committee challenged the club's medical department to "think outside the square" on the midfielder.
"We said, 'Hang on, is there anything we can do to hasten the recovery?'," Balme said.
Geelong doctor Chris Bradshaw said he had used Muller-Wohlfarth during his time at Premier League club Fulham.
Ronaldo, Maurice Greene, Darren Gough and Jose Maria Olazabal are among international sportsmen the Bayern Munich club doctor has helped.
He is also credited with curing soccer star Michael Owen's hamstring problem in time to play at the Euro 2000 tournament.
A Sydney Swans delegation headed by director of football Andrew Ireland visited Muller-Wohlfarth at his clinic last summer.
The Swans are acknowledged as the leaders in sports rehabilitation in the AFL.
The German exercise is expected to cost Geelong as much as $20,000, but Rooke, 25, is seen as an essential player in the upcoming finals campaign.
Balme would not reveal the cost, but said: "It's not an inexpensive exercise, no.
"There's accommodation, (business class) airfares, and the treatment."
Coach Mark Thompson said last night: "It was looking like he might miss 6-8 weeks, which would mean we wouldn't play him (again this year).
"It was a pretty bad one; he's had hamstring problems all year, really.
"We just want to be as professional as we can and to win as many games as we can."
Balme said the club's objective was to "give everyone on our list the opportunity to play more rather than less".
"To make sure we have as many players available as possible," he said.
Particularly the better players.
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,22065448%255E20322,00.html