Jace Howard Injury was Misdiagnosed by Michigan Staff
I won't link the Freep article from this afternoon, since that's not allowed, but in a direct interview with Jace he is quoted as saying:
Although Howard said he couldn't get too much into the details, he did confirm his injury has lingered longer than initially hoped and was not properly identified when it first occurred.
That's what prompted him to recently fly to Los Angeles — that's where he met with Dr. Neal ElAttrache, the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Dodgers team doctor who performed surgeries on Kobe Bryant's knee, Tom Brady's Achilles and Tarik Skubal's elbow, among many others — to hear from an outside source.
"I was getting a second opinion because originally I was told it was a stress fracture but actually it was a tendon tear, like a small tendon tear," Howard said. "So it was misdiagnosed and I just wanted to get some more clarity with it, I was able to get some good news, I’m able to start progressing and hopefully I’ll be able to be back in two or three weeks — hopefully two."
Just wanted to share as this is more information, and low-information debates are not particularly productive.
December 16th, 2023 at 10:31 PM ^
Conjecture regarding Juwan being the bad guy has flown around here like it was the word of God; seems just as plausible that Sanderson was in the wrong and the HR filing was a cover-your-ass move on his part.
December 16th, 2023 at 10:52 PM ^
But this has zero to do with that. Sanderson is not diagnosing injuries or reading X-rays.
December 16th, 2023 at 11:02 PM ^
Maybe not, but the article indicates a report that Jace's injury had something to do with the conflict:
Though why a disagreement began is still not clear, one report stated it came over comments Jace Howard made toward a trainer over his injury.
December 17th, 2023 at 12:09 PM ^
And it could be (my rampant speculation) that Jace skipped a training session because the new doctor told him it was a bad idea given the new diagnosis. Then the trainer and Sanderson got the wrong idea because they didn't know about the new, potential diagnosis; everyone got on their high horse, and the fracas resulted. Misunderstandings on partial information all around, but thankfully the HR report says nothing physical happened.
Now, I have no basis for believing that is what happened, but none of us has any basis for believing anything more than the meager facts officially released to the public. We don't know.
December 16th, 2023 at 9:35 PM ^
You don't say?
December 16th, 2023 at 9:42 PM ^
That doctor has done surgery on Kobe Bryant, Tom Brady AND Tarik Skubal. I mean I was kinda impressed by Kobe and Brady, but Tarik Skubal really solidifies his credentials
December 16th, 2023 at 9:47 PM ^
Per usual, name drop Skubal and you get instant/ ironclad clout.
December 17th, 2023 at 1:50 AM ^
Skubal trains at Driveline, so good reason for the clout boost.
December 17th, 2023 at 8:24 AM ^
I don’t know where driveline is but he does live on my old newspaper route.
December 20th, 2023 at 1:37 AM ^
The top development shop in all of baseball. Dozens (like more than 3) of their employees have gone on to work in MLB.
December 16th, 2023 at 10:00 PM ^
I have a partial tear (again and previously had surgery) in my shoulder and I've had a couple of doctors say they won't touch it again until it's a full thickness tear. I understand that I'm not a D1 athlete and I'm not flying out to LA to have a doctor tell me he'd do the surgery.
I doubt it was a misdiagnosis, more like a 'misdidn'twanttohearwhattheyweretellingme'
December 16th, 2023 at 10:42 PM ^
Sounds like the program is a mess
December 16th, 2023 at 10:43 PM ^
There have certainly been a number of strange disagreements between the Michigan sports medical staff and the players' second opinion doctors over the last few years. Cade, Erick All, and St. Juste all immediately come to mind on top of this one. I'm not informed enough to speculate further but it's bizarre. And it's not a good look when the head basketball coach doesn't trust his own program's medical staff with his son's injury
December 16th, 2023 at 11:53 PM ^
They have a different philosophy and are conservative to a fault.
December 17th, 2023 at 8:11 AM ^
Hot shot docs like Dr. Hollywood Whatshisnane have a financial incentive to undermine the opinions of their patients’ original docs. It’s like Lenin says, man, you look to the person who benefits and uh, and uh…
December 17th, 2023 at 9:13 AM ^
I am the walrus?
December 17th, 2023 at 4:55 PM ^
V.I. Lenin. Vladimir Illanich Uleninov!
December 17th, 2023 at 9:43 AM ^
When a patient comes to you for a second opinion, you’re almost always going to do more testing than the original doctor (usually unnecessary). Occasionally you may find something. Even if this was a small ligament tear, it’d be treated initially the same way. Rest/NSAIDs for a period of time, followed by PT. If it doesn’t get better look for further problems.
A lot of patients are uncomfortable with the “we think it’s x, treat conservatively. We don’t know for sure, but the alternatives (arthroscopy/MRI) come with risks themselves so let’s wait and see”.
December 17th, 2023 at 12:19 AM ^
Another reason to love this blog...a couple months ago the MGoLawyers show out in force to help explain some bull shit, and now the MGoDoctors have their turn to help explain some body shit.
Damn, you people are smart.
December 17th, 2023 at 12:57 AM ^
1. I don't give a rip if he was misdiagnosed. That doesn't give him the right to yell at a trainer.
2. I'm really looking forward to him coming back in two weeks and his dad giving him minutes that would otherwise go to someone who can actually play at this level.
December 17th, 2023 at 1:01 AM ^
"I was getting a second opinion because originally I was told it was a stress fracture but actually it was a tendon tear, like a small tendon tear," Howard said. "So it was misdiagnosed and I just wanted to get some more clarity with it
Not sure how to read the last paragraph, sounds like M originally misdiagnosed it but were also the ones to correct the diagnosis?
December 17th, 2023 at 11:58 AM ^
maybe the second diagnosis is the wrong one
December 17th, 2023 at 8:34 AM ^
Nobody here knows the actual situation around the medical evaluation but there have been a couple of athletes on the football and now the basketball teams who have taken issue with the diagnoses and gone elsewhere for second opinions. There's nothing wrong with that and should likely be encouraged especially if recovery seems slow or inconsistent with the first injury. Doctors can make mistakes, and I'm not saying it's the case here but it's also foolish to believe they're batting 1.000 for years.
Also, it doesn't sound like Jace is going under the knife or anything; he just got a second opinion and trying a different treatment option. While I get that this can obviously go astray and you'll get a lot of "I'll do my own research" types who'll ignore every doctor until they hear what they want, I can understand Howard being concerned it being months since an injury and him not showing much improvement. That's just taking a more active role in your health care and recovery. Also, the doctor they went to see seems pretty credentialed; this isn't some "strip mall doctor".
Anyway, this remains a stupid controversy that wouldn't have gotten 1/100th the oxygen it has if the team was 9-2 instead of 6-5.
December 17th, 2023 at 10:28 AM ^
Anyway, this remains a stupid controversy that wouldn't have gotten 1/100th the oxygen it has if the team was 9-2 instead of 6-5.
Absolutely a better record last year and this year would have changed the conversation around here. But if the S&C coach files an HR complaint against a head coach, I think that's going to get headlines regardless.
December 17th, 2023 at 3:00 PM ^
I agree but I also suspect it wouldn't have broken contain as quickly with all the sites seemingly rushing to frame it as a physical altercation with punches thrown and potential body-slamming initially going on. And the outcry from a subset of fans (who I will conveniently say were the same who were certain Harbaugh should have been fired in 2020 because he was over the hill, didn't know how to win anymore, might be mentally impaired, etc.) who want to fire Howard but want to feel it's about more than just wins and losses would have been muted.
December 17th, 2023 at 10:12 AM ^
This was my initial guess on the original thread. Juwan reacted as a parent rather than just a coach
December 17th, 2023 at 11:20 AM ^
I am at MBA in Grand Rapids as I type this. Sanderson is here w his Michigan gear on. That’s a plus for those of us that want to see him on Michigan’s staff in perpetuity.
December 17th, 2023 at 11:51 AM ^
Honest question. Can he get a redshirt out of this?
December 17th, 2023 at 11:56 AM ^
medical assessments aren't perfect--who knew?
December 17th, 2023 at 12:06 PM ^
Death, taxes, and UM stepping on rakes when it comes to academics and injuries
Academics: Terrence Shannon, Caleb Love
Injuries: Jace Howard, Erick All, Ondre Pipkins, Cade McNamara, Benjamin St.-Juste
I tell myself that we're being conservative to protect the players and the institution, but it feels like we're playing a different game than everyone else...
December 17th, 2023 at 2:11 PM ^
I fail to see a connection to the Sanderson issue since Strength and Conditioning has little to do with medical diagnosis. I am guessing though that this whole ball of wax is somehow connected.
December 18th, 2023 at 10:44 AM ^
Good call getting a second opinion. Michigan's medical team is developing a poor track record as of late.