Kori Ellis
09-15-2005, 02:14 AM
Elliott warns of anti-inflammatories
By Terry Vandrovec, The Forum
Published Thursday, September 15, 2005
http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=103070§ion=Sports
Although Sean Elliott displayed the touch of a surgeon during 12 seasons in the NBA and wore No. 32 in homage to Dr. J, he’s not a real doctor.
But he’s been poked, prodded and pinched into becoming more medically savvy than the average television physician, as demonstrated during a candid presentation sponsored by MeritCare Wednesday night at the Ramada Plaza Suites. And the 37-year-old is convinced overuse of anti-inflammatory drugs contributed to developing a kidney disease, needing a replacement and becoming, in 2000, the first athlete to play in any of the four major professional leagues following an organ transplant.
“I came into an NBA culture where I saw guys pop 800 milligrams of Motrin before the game – before the game – so it would help them recover,” said Elliott, who ranks in the top 10 in San Antonio Spurs history in 3-pointers, points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. “And that’s a very dangerous practice.”
Even though 800 milligrams is less than the maximum allowable daily dose for an adult
Knees hurt, pop a pill. Back aches, pop a pill. Pain flares up, pop a pill. It was a practice familiar to Elliott – whose condition also was affected by a family history of hypertension – and a practice that apparently is growing nationally.
MeritCare nephrologist Dr. Adit Mahale said 600,000 Americans will have kidney disease by 2010, at least in part due to the popularity of prescribed and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs that can damage small blood vessels. The problem is increasing in athletes, too, Mahale said, if only because they’re a cross section of society.
Other NBA stars have made medical news since Elliott’s recovery. Alonzo Mourning resumed his career after a transplant, Shaquille O’Neal avoided the drugs for nearly one year, and Rick Fox used his Web site to publicize the dangers associated with overuse.
Of course, if the response has been that widespread, how large might the problem be?
“If you were to ask me a percentage of overuse not only within the athletic, but the general population, over the counter is a fairly high percentage,” North Dakota State head athletic trainer Scott Woken said. “There’s no documented studies with that. We can tell you exactly how much they take when they’re with us, but you don’t know what goes on outside.”
Although he can’t write prescriptions, Woken is allowed to dispense over-the-counter drugs such as Ibuprofen. However, the stock is kept out of sight in a locked cabinet and doses are meticulously charted. Players have been directed to end use based on the results of blood tests.
Trainers for high school teams are even further restricted.
“We can’t give it out to the minors, but we can advise and make sure they make the right decision,” said Brad Reed, for the past nine years a certified athletic trainer at Moorhead High School. “We say make sure you follow the directions on the bottle for you age group.”
In other words, they try to discourage the idea that if two is good four is better.
Moderation is the key.
“If you take it once in a while it’s a different issue,” MericCare’s Mahale said, “but if you’re taking it every day for many years, it definitely can cause problems.”
The 6-foot-8 Elliott hopes a sprinkling of speaking appearances through his role with the National Kidney Foundation can heighten awareness.
“I’m very proud of that,” said the former University of Arizona star, now a color commentator for Spurs television broadcasts. “I’m proud of the fact that I was able too come back and play after my surgery and that inspired a lot of people. I doubt that Alonzo would have tried it had I not tried it, and there will be future players – it’s inevitable – that will suffer the same fate and hopefully they’ll find something from it.”
By Terry Vandrovec, The Forum
Published Thursday, September 15, 2005
http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=103070§ion=Sports
Although Sean Elliott displayed the touch of a surgeon during 12 seasons in the NBA and wore No. 32 in homage to Dr. J, he’s not a real doctor.
But he’s been poked, prodded and pinched into becoming more medically savvy than the average television physician, as demonstrated during a candid presentation sponsored by MeritCare Wednesday night at the Ramada Plaza Suites. And the 37-year-old is convinced overuse of anti-inflammatory drugs contributed to developing a kidney disease, needing a replacement and becoming, in 2000, the first athlete to play in any of the four major professional leagues following an organ transplant.
“I came into an NBA culture where I saw guys pop 800 milligrams of Motrin before the game – before the game – so it would help them recover,” said Elliott, who ranks in the top 10 in San Antonio Spurs history in 3-pointers, points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. “And that’s a very dangerous practice.”
Even though 800 milligrams is less than the maximum allowable daily dose for an adult
Knees hurt, pop a pill. Back aches, pop a pill. Pain flares up, pop a pill. It was a practice familiar to Elliott – whose condition also was affected by a family history of hypertension – and a practice that apparently is growing nationally.
MeritCare nephrologist Dr. Adit Mahale said 600,000 Americans will have kidney disease by 2010, at least in part due to the popularity of prescribed and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs that can damage small blood vessels. The problem is increasing in athletes, too, Mahale said, if only because they’re a cross section of society.
Other NBA stars have made medical news since Elliott’s recovery. Alonzo Mourning resumed his career after a transplant, Shaquille O’Neal avoided the drugs for nearly one year, and Rick Fox used his Web site to publicize the dangers associated with overuse.
Of course, if the response has been that widespread, how large might the problem be?
“If you were to ask me a percentage of overuse not only within the athletic, but the general population, over the counter is a fairly high percentage,” North Dakota State head athletic trainer Scott Woken said. “There’s no documented studies with that. We can tell you exactly how much they take when they’re with us, but you don’t know what goes on outside.”
Although he can’t write prescriptions, Woken is allowed to dispense over-the-counter drugs such as Ibuprofen. However, the stock is kept out of sight in a locked cabinet and doses are meticulously charted. Players have been directed to end use based on the results of blood tests.
Trainers for high school teams are even further restricted.
“We can’t give it out to the minors, but we can advise and make sure they make the right decision,” said Brad Reed, for the past nine years a certified athletic trainer at Moorhead High School. “We say make sure you follow the directions on the bottle for you age group.”
In other words, they try to discourage the idea that if two is good four is better.
Moderation is the key.
“If you take it once in a while it’s a different issue,” MericCare’s Mahale said, “but if you’re taking it every day for many years, it definitely can cause problems.”
The 6-foot-8 Elliott hopes a sprinkling of speaking appearances through his role with the National Kidney Foundation can heighten awareness.
“I’m very proud of that,” said the former University of Arizona star, now a color commentator for Spurs television broadcasts. “I’m proud of the fact that I was able too come back and play after my surgery and that inspired a lot of people. I doubt that Alonzo would have tried it had I not tried it, and there will be future players – it’s inevitable – that will suffer the same fate and hopefully they’ll find something from it.”