and Frank Deford was commenting on Orthopedists that were at a gathering discussing the ramifications of surgically repairing athletes joints (notably the knee, but others included) and they were lamenting the idea that these doctors knew that as a result of the surgeries they were performing, the athletes that received those procedures would be back in action on a field playing their sport.And because of this they would continue to do significant wear and tear on these joints, especially when cartilage was compromised, resulting in painful chronic illnesses such as arthritis on setting at very young ages and these athletes or former athletes at that time would suffer a life of pain for perhaps decades.
The doctors were wrestling with the ethics involved with their trade, noting that when advised of the likely longer term consequences of a procedure, a young athlete is more than willing to take on that potential life of pain later on in exchange for the opportunity to stay on the field of play for a few more years.
I thought it was an interesting discussion. My son had a bone surgically repaired in his femur, and I know we were advised that at some point he may be more prone to arthritis in the surrounding area because of the procedure.
