Kyle Lowry's Elbow Injury - to rest, or not to rest...

[JWash]

The injury happened TWO MONTHS ago, and he's playing 38.6 minutes a game since the London trip.

He literally can't play much more than he has been.

If he rests, worst case scenario is he doesn't get better.

If he plays, worst case scenario is someone hits it, or he falls on it again, and his season is over.

This doesn't seem that complicated.

Or if he plays, he adjusts to the pain or plays through it and helps it heal faster. We don't know, none of us are sports doctors here I think (or maybe someone is?)

[CalgaryRapsFan]

And the rest could have easily made it worse. He didn't get injured because he plays a lot, he got injured because of bad luck. You still need guys out there to play the games, and they need to stay focused for playoffs and be in game shape. Resting doesn't achieve that for you.

This idea that Lowry is hurt because of playing a lot is just wrong.

How could a player possibly injure their elbow, or make an elbow injury worse, by resting? That makes no sense.

Besides, a single day off sandwiched between 34+ minutes played games, is not exactly 'rest'.

If Lowry has an injury that is hampering his shooting technique and/or causing him to alter his shot (changing mechanics to avoid pain caused by one injury can lead to all sorts of other issues, including additional injuries), he should be shut down for multiple days at a minimum.

Whether it's a hyper-extension, deep bruise, tennis elbow, golf elbow, or any other such injury, you don't "play through" it. That's ridiculous.

[Barolt]

Or if he plays, he adjusts to the pain or plays through it and helps it heal faster. We don't know, none of us are sports doctors here I think (or maybe someone is?)

Seriously? Cite me one prior example, in any sport, of a player playing through an injury and it miraculously healing faster. Bonus points if playing made it better after two months of playing not making it better.

He's been playing through it for two months, and that hasn't worked.

[DanH]

And the rest could have easily made it worse. He didn't get injured because he plays a lot, he got injured because of bad luck. You still need guys out there to play the games, and they need to stay focused for playoffs and be in game shape. Resting doesn't achieve that for you.

This idea that Lowry is hurt because of playing a lot is just wrong.

But the things Lowry said tell a different story. He got hurt - sure, freak accident, it happens. He played through it (stupid, stupid, stupid and part of a very stupid pattern). He made it worse (what a shock - who could possibly have seen that coming). That's what he said. Right?

Am I wrong? Did Lowry say that rest was making him worse? And that playing through it was the only way for it to stay the same or get better?

[DanH]

Yup, the constant negativity is just bringing in bad vibes. Let's keep the good vibes up guys and go in and win our first 7 game series. No point fretting the little stuff, this team can get it done

Ha. Good thing Dwane Casey didn't sweat the little stuff the last two years and just rode the positivity train to those two thoroughly enjoyable first round wins.

[Barolt]

Between this Lowry situation for the last two months, and the stuff with Carroll not getting shut down and playing when he shouldn't have, something is going seriously wrong with communication between the coaching staff and the medical staff.

This is starting to sound like some Portland shit from the Roy/Oden era.

[JWash]

Ha. Good thing Dwane Casey didn't sweat the little stuff the last two years and just rode the positivity train to those two thoroughly enjoyable first round wins.

If Lowry kept himself in better shape last year he wouldn't have gotten hurt.

Chris Paul is having to carry the Clippers without Blake right now and he's doing just fine. Is Doc Rivers a coaching savant?

[JWash]

Between this Lowry situation for the last two months, and the stuff with Carroll not getting shut down and playing when he shouldn't have, something is going seriously wrong with communication between the coaching staff and the medical staff.

This is starting to sound like some Portland shit from the Roy/Oden era.

How is this anything like Portland? Roy and Oden were damaged goods with an expiry date on them from the get go.

[mjt20mik]

Just to give someone a background on Lowry's condition...

It is called Bursitis. Is is normally caused by either an infection or an injury (Lowry's case). The only thing that helps it get better is rehab and rest. If Lowry is putting himself in situations where he will continue to use and bruise his elbow, then it won't get better. The use of needles to drain the fluid helps, but again only rest can solve the issue.

[JWash]

Just to give someone a background on Lowry's condition...

It is called Bursitis. Is is normally caused by either an infection or an injury (Lowry's case). The only thing that helps it get better is rehab and rest. If Lowry is putting himself in situations where he will continue to use and bruise his elbow, then it won't get better. The use of needles to drain the fluid helps, but again only rest can solve the issue.

Or through antiflammatory drugs, steroids, injections and/or physical therapy.

[mjt20mik]

Or through antiflammatory drugs, steroids, injections and/or physical therapy.

Yeah I'm not too sure if they are allowed to use Steroids. But I'm sure he's doing the rest.

[JWash]

Ha. Good thing Dwane Casey didn't sweat the little stuff the last two years and just rode the positivity train to those two thoroughly enjoyable first round wins.

Well we can sit here and preach doomsday or try to look at things with a small measure of optimism. Are you expecting to lose in the first round? If so I don't even see how you're able to stomach the games or team.

[DanH]

Well we can sit here and preach doomsday or try to look at things with a small measure of optimism. Are you expecting to lose in the first round? If so I don't even see how you're able to stomach the games or team.

If Lowry is hurt and unable to recover in time just like last season? I think the team will have a decent chance to win a round, but by no means will it be easy, and there is every possibility of losing yet again to an inferior opponent. Why would anyone think a Lowry injury would have no effect on our playoff performance?

[JWash]

If Lowry is hurt and unable to recover in time just like last season? I think the team will have a decent chance to win a round, but by no means will it be easy, and there is every possibility of losing yet again to an inferior opponent. Why would anyone think a Lowry injury would have no effect on our playoff performance?

I didn't say a Lowry injury would have no effect on our playoff performance? How about reading what I actually write instead of creating points and making assumptions? I said the exact OPPOSITE earlier. The hope is that he will be fine for playoffs. He said that rest isn't helping the issue, so the logical move is to keep playing and try to at least get the benefit of being in game shape for the playoffs.

[Axel]

I didn't say a Lowry injury would have no effect on our playoff performance? How about reading what I actually write instead of creating points and making assumptions? I said the exact OPPOSITE earlier. The hope is that he will be fine for playoffs. He said that rest isn't helping the issue, so the logical move is to keep playing and try to at least get the benefit of being in game shape for the playoffs.

The logical move would be to not take the player's very bias opinion as gospel. Rest can't hurt, playing can.