We need to find out what Gagne has been doing, not just for the past two months during the rehab for his latest elbow problem, but for almost the past decade, and with whom.
For even if Gagne didn’t use PEDs it’s quite possible that his training and/or rehab regimen has been responsible for the complete physical breakdown that he’s experienced over the past two years.
And then there’s Kerry Wood.
Wood’s injury problems have snowballed over the past seven years. He’s had elbow ligament replacement surgery, surgery to repair a torn labrum and triceps problems. He was on the disabled list three times last season and started this year with a knee problem that he brought into spring training that no doubt came from his off season training program.
After his first four starts this year, Wood complained of shoulder discomfort and was diagnosed as having a muscular imbalance in his right shoulder. Wood continued to suffer from pain, and as a result underwent the more detailed arthrogram that revealed the tear to his rotator cuff.
In the discussion of Wood’s fragility over the course of his career there has never been a real analysis of his training regimen, including information specifically related to what he does in the off season and with whom he does it. For someone to suffer such a constant barrage of serious injuries – especially in light of his diagnosed muscular imbalance - we need to know the details about what Wood has been doing.
In the cases of Gagne and Wood it is possible that PEDs have not played a role in their physical demise, but given the circumstances of their injuries it is more than likely that their training regimens have contributed to the misfortunes of these two young professional athletes.
It will be very interesting - and quite enlightening - to see if during the follow up stories to the reports of these injuries we get some real details and discussion as to what may have led to the downfall of these fine young arms.
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Article comments
1 - Brent
I wouldn't be so suspicious about Kerry Wood's arm problems. Young, dominant pitchers have succumbed to arm problems before their prime since, most notably, Boston's Joe Wood in the dead-ball era, and Wood has had nothing but trouble for almost all his body of work in MLB. (The irony of sharing the same name, so far as I know, is coincidental.)
You might have a better case with Gagne, but even then, I wouldn't necessarily jump to the s-word conclusion.
2 - sal m
it's not just about steroids and hgh...wood has had injuries that have nothing to do with pitching, as evidenced by the knee injury that he came into spring training with...if he's working out in such a way where he's got a knee problem, who knows what else he's done during his career that could have resulted in his being injured.
3 - Hairynipples
Perhaps Gagne's back problems started when he was driving around with Eddie Griffin the other night.
4 - Yaa101
The problem of this all is the professional amount of money which turns these guys into commodoties and their sports into freakshows.
I bet these guys here things like "Shut up, we are paying you insane amounts of money, so you do as we say" a lot.
I guess the stakes are so high that all players are replacable without whim.
I really feel for all those young teens that got suckered into trajects like these only to enrich the scouts, trainers, coaches, financers and so on, while getting physically and mentaly raped in the process.
It looks a lot like the record industry or a sweatshop industry mentality what is going on in sports these days.
5 - sal m
the sweatshop mentality may exist to some degree, but there is no shortage of those who are willing to prostitute themselves in order to work for the sweatshop that pays millions of dollars a year to play a game.
6 - Yaa101
yes, and they all do it out of free will...
or aren't they?
7 - Yaa101
Anyway, it is nice to see that someone from the field is noticing these things...
I hope you keep noticing these things over time to come and be carefull about the bodies of the people you train. Also I wish you success.