LARS

[Snake Livermore]

Just give him a ****en lars! What's the point of rehabbing for 9 months if it could go at any time anyway?

If Libba had done LARS in Feb he'd be back in time for our first finals tilt in 5 years, instead he'll be watching on.

 

[TheHoneyBadger]

And it could just as easily fray and break down when we need him most - I don't think they anticipated finals this year, really.

Traditional reco all the way.

 

[Snake Livermore]

And it could just as easily fray and break down when we need him most - I don't think they anticipated finals this year, really.

Traditional reco all the way.

Name me some LARS recipients whose reco has frayed. There will be twice as many traditional reco's that lasted bugger all time.

Just need to trust the science and go for it.

 

[SeaWind]

Yes to this. I'm convinced this business about lars being less stable is a myth.

Menzel and Morabito had 3+ traditional recos and that didn't do shit; they kept breaking soon after being repaired. In contrast, Nick Malceski's been pretty durable over the last few years.

 

[go you pups]

Clay Smith has to go down this path now to save his AFL career.

Malceski got a few good years from it, kid has nothing to lose but his AFL career now, give it to him, his knee hasn't coped with traditional surgery.

 

[Unnamed1]

Quality of the graft is the key long term, not the makeup of the ligament replacement

 

[Billy Bob65]

Name me some LARS recipients whose reco has frayed.

David Rodan (twice)
Nick Malceski
Luke Webster - 2nd AFL player to try it
Brent Staker
Daniel Menzel
Anthony Morabito
Alex Johnson

Given where he's at I'd imagine they'll explore LARS, but the recurrence rates are considered to be higher (https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/23290730/survey-finds-lars-a-short-term-fix/) and not every ACL tear is suited for repair with it.
Menzel, Morabito and Johnson who all have similar ACL history to Smith, all tried it for their 3rd reconstruction without success, so don't assume it'll be a panacea.

 

[dergert]

Stop thinking about the team and think for clay's wellbeing. He has a whole life ahead of him outside of football. Whatever provides the least pain in the long run and is most durable is the go.

 

[Snake Livermore]

Stop thinking about the team and think for clay's wellbeing. He has a whole life ahead of him outside of football. Whatever provides the least pain in the long run and is most durable is the go.

Agree in principle but the best thing for his short and long term mental health will be to get back playing footy.

 

[Substance]

Stop thinking about the team and think for clay's wellbeing. He has a whole life ahead of him outside of football. Whatever provides the least pain in the long run and is most durable is the go.

Well said mate. Clay needs emotional support most of all after today, and I'm sure Bob will be there for him.

 

[_Mike_]

Agree in principle but the best thing for his short and long term mental health will be to get back playing footy.

The best thing for Clay is his long term health.. Rushing back from another reco is fraught with danger and the results could be catastrophic for him.

 

[scooter600x]

Name me some LARS recipients whose reco has frayed. There will be twice as many traditional reco's that lasted bugger all time.

Just need to trust the science and go for it.

Mick Egan.

I think he was the first player ever to have one

 

[goodcop badcop]

Knee specialist I know said he's never seen an elite athlete go past 7 years without having another one. Often it's 3 - 5 years. On his advice, I hope Clay doesn't go down the LARS path.

 

[Snake Livermore]

Knee specialist I know said he's never seen an elite athlete go past 7 years without having another one. Often it's 3 - 5 years. On his advice, I hope Clay doesn't go down the LARS path.

It just doesn't make sense. Why are we worried about what will happen in 3-5 years with the LARS when the traditional grafts aren't even lasting 10 games? At the very least trying something different will give him some hope that the result will be different, and that's what the kid needs right now, hope.

Anyway, hope the club buys him a round the world plane ticket and tells him to bugger off for 3 months.

 

[_Mike_]

It just doesn't make sense. Why are we worried about what will happen in 3-5 years with the LARS when the traditional grafts aren't even lasting 10 games? At the very least trying something different will give him some hope that the result will be different, and that's what the kid needs right now, hope.

Anyway, hope the club buys him a round the world plane ticket and tells him to bugger off for 3 months.

Short term hope wont make up for the suffering he is likely to endure for the rest of his life after his football days are over, look at the bigger picture

 

[BrisDog]

Knee specialist I know said he's never seen an elite athlete go past 7 years without having another one. Often it's 3 - 5 years. On his advice, I hope Clay doesn't go down the LARS path.

I hate to be negative, but if Clay could get 3-4 years from a LARS I'm sure he would take it. I just hope he plays AFL again.

 

[Zgope1]

I reckon people with dodgy knees have dodgy knees (or be it "prone to knee injuries).

The reading I did on it a few years back didn't suggest it was a higher risk it was just there was less data on it.

Troy Menzel's running around ok and malceski' done alright. In the case of Clay his knee will probably go anyway so it's whether he wants to get back on the park sooner or later. How long can he spend rehabbing really. Time to roll the dice and make the most of his young body.

But that's just me, I'm a bit of an idiot

 

[wian]

People are suggesting he is coming back too fast. If the club want to give him 1 more chance I suggest they keep him out from game loads for at least 12 months minimum. No shortcuts or coming back any time sooner than that... .

 

[DogsAreBarking]

Agree in principle but the best thing for his short and long term mental health will be to get back playing footy.

Footy is a game and a job, your body is for life. Best thing for him is clearly to have a body that can carry him around with the least pain and inconvenience, any thoughts of a football career surely come after that.

 

[Snake Livermore]

Footy is a game and a job, your body is for life. Best thing for him is clearly to have a body that can carry him around with the least pain and inconvenience, any thoughts of a football career surely come after that.

Not really or no-one would have a footy career. These blokes all have crook shoulders, knees, ankles when they retire. On the other hand, they are super aerobically fit and prob won't die young from a heart attack, and for the most part are set up well financially.

Short term hope wont make up for the suffering he is likely to endure for the rest of his life after his football days are over, look at the bigger picture

I don't see how LARS verse traditional equals 'suffering he is likely to endure for the rest of his life'.

 

[_Mike_]

Not really or no-one would have a footy career. These blokes all have crook shoulders, knees, ankles when they retire. On the other hand, they are super aerobically fit and prob won't die young from a heart attack, and for the most part are set up well financially.



I don't see how LARS verse traditional equals 'suffering he is likely to endure for the rest of his life'.

Repeated surgery and knee reconstructions result in a poor long term future for the knee joint.. And I am speaking from first hand experience. When you have had 2 major rebuilds I as many years there is something majorly wrong with the knee.

Knees are the primary load bearing joints of the body that take all the weight through turns, twists,jumps,running, walking etc. When the ligaments are first damaged they start to lose their elasticity, surgey attempts to repair the ligaments through grafts. The stability of the knee becomes compromised and the person has to build muscle strength in the quads and hamstrings to compensate. While we're not sure which ligament has been damaged he has to be wrapped in cotton will from here is he is any chance at making a come back. There is enough medical data from professional sports players who have had multiple rebuilds on the same joint to confirm that the long term prognosis is never good.

 

[Tommycash]

Just a nightmare.

 

[TempleKelvington]

I don't know LARS or no LARS, I have no real opinion. But watching Clay, I think he has an issue with how he lands himself or how his legs work, he seems to be a bit "stiff legged" if that makes sense?

I have noticed it with him before. I think with this "stiff legged" action it makes him a candidate for knee issues. I don't know if there is anything he can do about it, or indeed if it's even on the money. You know how some guys just have a way to land softly or they just bend the right ways. You can just be really unlucky of course, but I wonder if on his next rehab journey that they look at his body mechanics and see if there is anything there that causes this issue for him. Perhaps, get a sky diver to teach him how to land and roll.....

Who knows.

 

[wian]

When the graft ruptures, does the ligament snap in half, or does one end come away from where it is attached to? Just trying to figure out whether it's the quality of the tendon being used or where it is attached to?