Browny to have surgery to have screws taken out

[one-eyed]

Brown faces surgery
02 December 2005   
Herald Sun
Michael Warner

RICHMOND star Nathan Brown will have surgery before Christmas to remove two screws from his lower right leg.

Brown will spend a night in hospital and plans to rejoin his teammates in full competitive training early in the new year.

"My aim is still to play Round 1. It's been six months now and I'm on track to do that," Brown said.

"But I don't really know how it's going to be – it's still four months away and I'm doing every bit of rehab I can to get it right.

"If it doesn't come up the way it was it won't be through a lack of trying, but I've got no doubt it will come up."

Brown, who has been using a revolutionary recovery treatment known as BodyFlow, said he would have a more realistic idea of his leg's strength when he returned to tackling and contested marking drills.

But the star forward says he will not use a sports psychologist to help overcome any mental demons.

"I know a lot of people who get a lot out of them . . . but I want to sort it out myself in my own mind," he said.

"It is going to be a mental challenge but no more mentally challenging than looking at a black line for five hours a day swimming or having the boxing coach punch me in the head 10 times a day."

Brown recently bumped into Brisbane skipper Michael Voss, who overcame the same injury, at a bar in Queensland.

The duo discussed the likelihood that Brown will follow Voss in removing the 32cm titanium rod inserted in his leg after his first season back in the game.

Despite the long road to recovery, Brown said he would be willing to go through the rehabilitation process again.

"When I first did it I probably didn't think I could. But now that I've come out the other side and seen the way the body heals itself, I could," he said.

"I love playing footy, that's what I do. There are other things in my life but football is still No. 1."

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,17433351%255E19742,00.html

[one-eyed]

Nathan Brown goes with the flow
02 December 2005   
Herald Sun
Michael Warner


Picture: Jay Town

A REVOLUTIONARY recovery treatment has emerged as a secret behind Lee Freedman's spring carnival success and the rapid recovery of Richmond AFL star Nathan Brown.
 
Makybe Diva was among several horses in the Freedman stable to benefit from BodyFlow technology on her way to a third straight Melbourne Cup victory.

Brown also credits the technology – which runs a specific electric current through damaged muscle tissue – for his speedy recovery from broken tibia and fibula bones in his right leg, suffered in Round 10 this year.

Freedman and fellow trainers John McArdle and Tony Vasil have used specially designed rugs fitted with electrodes to quicken horses' recovery times between races.

In a signed letter witnessed by the Herald Sun, Freedman said he had seen recovery results in 20 minutes that would normally take 24 hours.

"Some blood results from pre and post-BodyFlow technology have been quite remarkable," Freedman wrote. "It is my impression that BodyFlow technology will greatly contribute to a horse's recovery."

The technology has been approved by Racing Victoria chief steward Des Gleeson and RV head vet John McCaffrey.

Brown, who has a 32cm titanium rod in his leg, has used BodyFlow three times a week since breaking the leg in May.

"I noticed a difference pretty much after three sessions – the swelling came right down," Brown said. "My leg was twice the size of the other one. I'm no medical expert, but it seemed to get the swelling and blood away from where they operated."

Melbourne-based BodyFlow managing director Luke Vassallo has the worldwide distribution rights to the technology, which was invented by a French doctor.The $25,000 machines are manufactured in Germany and were recently adopted by famous Italian soccer club AC Milan.

Medicos for the Socceroos have asked to trial the technology when the squad assembles again in February before the World Cup in Germany in June.

St Kilda star Fraser Gehrig, Melbourne Storm and Wallabies players have also begun experimenting with it.

"The technology is unique, world-first and non-invasive. Trainers like Lee and footballers like Nathan have already seen its benefits," Vassallo said. "This is just the beginning of a multi-faceted medical revolution."

BodyFlow is the subject of studies at the Garvan Institute in Sydney and Flinders University in South Australia.

The sports arena has so far been the biggest beneficiary of the technology which was designed for the prevention of Deep Vein Thrombosis and for the treatment and management of the debilitating disease lymphoedema, which causes swelling to parts of the body.

Former jockey Simon Marshall is part of the BodyFlow management team and is a true believer of the science.

"It's going to revolutionise the racing industry because when it comes to horses, that little edge makes all the difference," Marshall said.

HOW IT WORKS

BodyFlow uses a specific electronic frequency, a replica of the one present in all mammals that targets smooth muscle (tunica media).

Smooth muscle runs inside the wall of arteries, veins and lymphatics.

By stimulating this muscle group, BodyFlow promotes or enhances fluid movement in the right direction.

When there is an excess of fluid, blood or toxins associated with injuries, BodyFlow promotes drainage from the affected area, enhancing, or speeding, the recovery and healing process.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,17432979%255E20322,00.html

[Jackstar]

Managing Director of Body-Flow Luke Vassallo.
Ex Tiger I do beleive. Was on our list during the 80,s ???

[mightytiges]

Browny will be copping a ribbing with the horse link. One old footy-trip song comes to mind    .

Good to see the club able to give Browny the best treatment  .

[WilliamPowell]

Still in cotton wool
4:01:57 PM Tue 6 December, 2005
Paul Gough
Sportal for afl.com.au

Richmond star Nathan Brown is no certainty to make his long-awaited comeback in time for the start of the 2006 home and away season.

Tigers' coach Terry Wallace revealed on Tuesday that while Brown had not suffered any hiccups in his rehabilitation from the shocking broken leg he suffered in round ten last year, his recovery was only progressing slowly.

"It's a long, slow process," Wallace said.

"There is no guarantee or certainty along the way that he gets there by round one."

Wallace said Brown, who booted 34 goals in the first nine rounds last season before suffering one of the most sickening injuries seen in recent years, was unlikely to be back to his best until 2007.

"For me, anything he does next year, he will do better the year after."

"I am approaching it generally in terms that if we get him back (to his best) next year that is a real bonus."

"We expect to get him back but do you expect him to be back to where he was - kicking five goals on (Collingwood's champion defender) James Clement in one quarter or do you expect him to work his way back (slowly)."

While Wallace was dampening the huge expectations amongst all football fans over the return of the dual All-Australian, he stressed Brown was progressing well in his recovery.

"On a piece of string he is probably over halfway so he is probably on target but you've got to keep progressing and you've got to keep going up from there."

"He hasn’t had any hiccups, he hasn't gone backwards at all and he has now gone from straight running to twisting and turning."

"He gets a bit stiff and sore now and then but some times with that sort of thing you do get achy as you are trying to put pressure on it."

Wallace said the Tigers would have a much clearer idea of when Brown will be able to resume playing after Christmas.

"The rod (he had put in his leg during surgery to mend the break) will stay but there are a couple of screws in there that have to come out after Christmas so that is the next progression."

"So there are a few things we have to go through before we decide (when Brown will resume) and it will be up to the medicos and surgeons to decide where he is at."


http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=239713

[mightytiges]

Whether Browny returns in round 1 or 10 doesn't matter. Just as long as when he does he's fully right to go and we haven't rushed things to get him back.

Good to hear he's now able to do some twisting and turning.

[Ox]

If we waited 12 months for gaspar to get right i expect waiting 15 for Nathan is a fair summary considering the nature of the injury.

Who said he was a starter for early 06 anyway?

[Razorblade]

Problem with that is we didn't give Gasper 12 months, he played about 9 months after his reco! 

[WilliamPowell]

Problem with that is we didn't give Gasper 12 months, he played about 9 months after his reco! 

You're right Razor but remember who was in charge back then and look at who's in charge now.