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What you “knee” to know about Andrew Bynum

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Philadelphia, PA – Andrew Bynum has Philly fans excited about Sixer basketball and fans drooling to see the new big man in action. Let’s remember we are in August and months away the NBA season. But before Bynum can hit the hardwood he’s hitting up the doctor’s office to get treatment on his knee. This isn’t your normal trip to your local physician but a journey over the Atlantic Ocean to Germany. Bynum is due to travel to the Center for Orthopaedics and Molecular Medicine in Dusseldorf early this September to receive treatment.

Bynum has had knee issues and injuries through out his young career. He has a genetic predisposition with ligamentous laxity which lead issues in left knee in 2008 and right knee in 2009-2010. He now wears brace over the right knee in training sessions and games. Bynum also was told that he would have wear a brace the rest of his career. No player wants to hear this as a brace slows you down, limits movement and creates fatigue. With medical advancements today players that tear an ACL can bounce back within a year and play brace free so maybe there is hope for Sixers newest big man.

I had a chance to speak with Dr. Rajwinder Deu at Thomas Jefferson University about knee injuries and the practices used to treat professional athletes.

Charlie Flowe “Just to confirm with you the most prevalent sports related injuries you see are knee related?”

Dr. Rajwinder Deu “Yes, most are meniscal tears followed by ACL tears.

Charlie Flowe: Being Andrew Bynum is listed at 7′ 0″ and 285 lbs that must really increase his odds of knee problems?

Dr. Rajwinder Deu: The heavier an individual is places more stress on the knees with each step.  I’m not exactly sure the exact science behind it but it seems that many players at 7’0″ have run into knee problems (Bynum, Greg Oden, Amare Stoudemaire, Bill Walton, etc.)

Charlie Flowe: With the condition and issues Bynum has now what are his options here in the U.S.?

Dr. Rajwinder Deu: That’s tough to answer as I do not know the extent of degenerative changes within his knee.  The options are oral medication, physical therapy, periodic cortisone injections, and hyaluronic acid injections.  Some have also started injecting PRP into knees.

Charlie Flowe: The procedure that he will have in Germany is something we don’t have here States correct?  And are there legal reasons?

Dr. Rajwinder Deu: It looks like there are a few physicians in the US licensed to do the procedure (well, at least according to the web).

Charlie Flowe: Dr. Peter Wehling will perform this procedure on Andrew Bynum like he did with Kobe Bryant (Lakers) and Alex Rodriguez (Yankees) , is this something only he has the skill to do?

Dr. Rajwinder Deu: No, it’s not a difficult procedure.  I’m assuming the reason that they are traveling to Germany is because he helped invent the procedure and likely has done the most.

Charlie Flowe: Do you believe we have to the trained staff in American that could learn and practice something like this?

Dr. Rajwinder Deu: Yes, you just need the proper equipment.  It’s not difficult.

Charlie Flowe: Since a treatment like this is very new, what do you think are some of the long term results and effect?

Dr. Rajwinder Deu: I don’t think that there are any negative effects from the procedure since they are injecting the players own serum into the knee.  The worse thing that I could suspect is having some type of inflammatory reaction that produces some swelling in the knee which can be easily treated.  He shouldn’t be out at all from the procedure.

Charlie Flowe: How concerned should fans be?

Dr. Rajwinder Deu: I wouldn’t be concerned about the procedure.  The question is why is he getting the procedure done.  Is it preventative or is it because he is suffering from pain?  If suffering from pain then it could be a long season.

There you have it some real answers about Andrew Bynum straight from a doctors mouth.