You guys have got to read this one

Hillbilly

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It is in today's Diario Libre, and tells how doctors here used stem cells to heal Bartolo Colon's torn up rotator cuff and bring life back into his arm.

If you follow baseball at all you will know that Colon was finished in 2009 and until this process was done on him he was toast. He has now shown an incredible recovery and achieved a starting spot in the New York Yankees rotation.

For footballers from Europe, this is the equivalent of Messi or Rooney blowing out their knees and returning to full form a year later!!

What makes me smile is that fact that I know the doctors that are doing this and they do not have halos around their heads, but are just good guys... Yea for us!!

HB

You can read it in English in the DL English tab. (Sorry, I forgot to add that bit)
 
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neofloyd

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The Thought of Leo "Down Syndrome" Messi blowing out his knee brought a smile to my face
 
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Abuela

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Just read the article and wondered if the "American specialist" was affiliated with the stem cell clinic in Sosua.
 

Hillbilly

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Do not know, but I will find out. this is incredible news, especially for older athletes.

HB
 
Feb 7, 2007
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Do not know, but I will find out. this is incredible news, especially for older athletes.

Yes it certainly is great news, but I am not sure it would work for "older athletes". Aren't you supposed to "gather" stem cells at child's birth? That is what I heard, though the information may not necessarily be correct.
 

SantiagueroRD

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Hi HB, Do they have an industrial strength operation because I need a complete overhaul? But the pain of injuries is the body's way of letting know something is wrong and that there are limits. Not from just a philosophical point of view but from your view as a former international competitor where is the limit? If you mean to repair past damage I am all for it but to extend competitive life no. That said I do not know how you would draw the line.
 
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AlterEgo

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South Coast
I met a couple from NJ in Santo Domingo who were there for the wife to have stem cell implants for Parkinson's Disease. I often wonder how she faired after the treatments - my mom had Parkinson's and it's my greatest fear.

AE
 

Hillbilly

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It seems that they consulted with Major League Baseball officialdom on this. This is basic repair work. Just like the Tommy John operation where they take tendons from the "good arm" and stitch them into the "bad arm"....but recovery is long and hard--at least a year. The case in point is Colon, basically finished, washed up as a pitcher, and now a starting pitcher for the NY Yankees! On the other side of the coin is that great pitcher for the Washington Nationals that was throwing 100+ mph until that day when 'something' let go. We both know what that means. He underwent the Tommy John surgery and they "think" he might be back at the end of this year. Maybe....the rehab is long and arduous.

Since this is the body's own juice, I can't see anything unethical about it, really. It's not like we are creating a superman, just fixing what was broken with some glue from the same body.

Blessings,

HB

Note: Can you imagine what the scenario would be like to see a parade of great, world-class athletes parading in and out of the Union Medica?? Make Cuba's "medical tourism" look like Mogadishu Clinic...
I really can't think of a down side, since this ain't botox for the looks or HGH for the strength...or Andros for the muscles.
 

SantiagueroRD

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I tend to respectfully disagree because the "line" for competitive athletics has become so blurred. I say tend as there are obvious "repair/fix" jobs and then you have the artificial extension of a career. I stopped competitive power weightlifting because of the knee and elbow wraps that were allowed. They give a lot of push.
 

SantiagueroRD

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Although a great market would be retired professional or amateur athletes who are hobbled by career injuries. Eveybody that I know that played in the NFL or college football ( the real one) has major problems.
 
May 12, 2005
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I tend to respectfully disagree because the "line" for competitive athletics has become so blurred. I say tend as there are obvious "repair/fix" jobs and then you have the artificial extension of a career. I stopped competitive power weightlifting because of the knee and elbow wraps that were allowed. They give a lot of push.

Don't forget bench shirts
 

SantiagueroRD

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Frank I see you know your weight lifting but I quit as a competitor and chose other sports before they came out. But what do you think the line is?
 

zoomzx11

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If it works for rotator cuff tears it will be great. I had rotator cuff surgery and rehab was two years and I worked hard at it. Very very painful procedure. Everyone said it would be awful and they were wrong as it was much worse than that.
 

DMV123

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I agree Zoomzx11 - I had it in 87 and it was brutal to say the least! It will be interesting to follow this whole process over the next few months - thanks HB for the post!
 

Deyvi

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This is an issue that deserves far more consideration in the U.S. To pooh--pooh it totally is wrong. On the lighter side-- I hope the Yankees have obtained an exclusive contract with these docs. Colon has been a very pleasant surprise for us. Maybe Phil Hughes is in the DR now!! Could Ron Guidry be there too!!
 

MWpending

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Got ya zoomzx11, I had surgery last july and I'm still battling the pain, just had another MRI Athogram yesterday and I cant even move my shoulder.
If it works for rotator cuff tears it will be great. I had rotator cuff surgery and rehab was two years and I worked hard at it. Very very painful procedure. Everyone said it would be awful and they were wrong as it was much worse than that.
 

zoomzx11

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Jan 21, 2006
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I went to rehab religiously even though it was painful. Did a million finger walks up the wall then arm raises then one pound dumb bells. Its hard to believe its like your arm no longer works. Like the mechanism to raise your arm is somehow gone. Impossible to find a comfortable position to sleep. Very common injury. I did mine by bench pressing in gym. I always suspected stem cells as a money scam. Maybe not!!!
 

zoomzx11

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Jan 21, 2006
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According to the DL article there was no large invasive surgery. For me the MD had to drill holes in the bone to create a point he could suture to. Naturally I waited and suffred for years before finally giving in to the pain and having the surgery. More complicated surgery equalled longer rehab. Great, now when the other one goes there may be a better alternative.