• Special features of RealGM Dr. David Schechter & Alec Kashin
Michael Porter Jr. played the best basketball of his life this season.
Porter, who helped lead the Denver Nuggets to the Western Conference semifinals by eliminating LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in five games, averaged 22.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game and shot 49.8% from 3-point range.
LeBron summed it up this way: Proverb“The man who kicked our ass is Michael Porter.”
And yes, the Nuggets lost their next series in seven games to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Porter apologized to his teammates. Because you didn’t try your best.
Performance aside, what is indisputable is the fact that Porter has been healthy all season and has been on the court for the first time in his career.
It’s no coincidence.
Porter has suffered from back pain since high school. Despite becoming a No. 1 athlete as a teenager, he was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease in the 10th grade.
He missed his first college season due to his first back surgery. Since then he has had two additional back surgeries, but neither surgery has permanently eliminated his pain.
After undergoing his third surgery at age 25, Porter didn’t know if his career would survive.
In general, the more surgeries you have, the more difficult it is to make a full recovery.
So how has Porter stayed healthy this year?
The answer is surprising and could have major implications for chronic pain treatment in the NBA.
The Challenge of Back Pain
Back injuries have affected some of the game’s biggest names and can be stubbornly difficult to treat.
Dwight Howard underwent surgery for a herniated disc in 2012, but his performance was never the same.
Tracy McGrady’s persistent back problems have affected the longevity of his career.
Scottie Pippen was left on the bench for a large portion of the game in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals due to a revolving door between the locker room and the court.
And surgical treatment for back injuries is often disappointingly ineffective.
More than 20% of NBA players suffer from a herniated disc. Failed to return successfully the following season.
and among NBA players People who have surgery for herniated discs play in significantly fewer games and are less effective the following season than those who receive conservative treatment.
Surgery for other back problems, such as nerve impingement and disc degeneration, can have similar results.
Take away ben simmons. Simmons had two back surgeries in three years. 57 games during that period.
The purpose of surgery is to correct ‘abnormalities’ that are thought to be related to pain. Sometimes surgery is necessary to relieve pain.
But surprisingly, there is often no clear link between back abnormalities and pain.
consider it 37% of 20-year-olds In the absence of back pain, disc degeneration occurs, as Porter has in the lumbar spine. By age 30, that number increases to 52%.
So why can two athletes have similar back ‘abnormalities’, while one experiences extreme pain and the other has no pain?
The Science Behind Potter’s Pain
According to research 75% of high-performance athletes There is constant pain, according to the doctor. international olympic committeeHowever, there are currently no evidence-based or consensus-based guidelines for pain management in elite athletes.
Paradoxically, Tissue damage has not been proven to be a major factor. To explain persistent pain in athletes.
So what’s going on?
Physical injuries like sprained ankles, pulled hamstrings, and broken bones are inevitable in the NBA.
But cutting-edge science It shows that athletes can experience persistent pain. imitate Although pain is caused by structural abnormalities, pain generated in the brain is called ‘primary’ or ‘neuroplastic’ pain.
some research Studies show that up to 80-90% of chronic, persistent pain in the general population falls into this category.
Surprisingly, this also applies to elite athletes. Even people without pain or symptoms often have the same structural abnormalities as people without pain.
for example, 40% of elite athletes People who play sports that involve heavy use of the shoulder may have partial or complete rotator cuff tears without symptoms.
Approximately 64% of professional and college hockey players If there are degenerative changes in the hip joint without symptoms.
and even 49% of NBA players The knee cartilage is damaged, but there are no symptoms at all.
This is why imaging, such as an MRI or X-ray, is important. Notoriously unreliable When trying to explain persistent pain.
It also explains why Porter says there was nothing ‘wrong’ with his back.
he said on Recent Podcasts, “Every NBA player who gets an MRI probably has a bulging disc, maybe a degenerative disc, maybe a herniated disc. Some players show symptoms, while others do not. It’s not what’s causing your pain.”
what was The Cause of Porter’s Suffering and How He Recovered
After three surgeries, Porter realized she needed another way to heal. Otherwise, his NBA career will be in serious jeopardy.
So what did Porter do? He started by picking up a book.
back pain treatment Written by Dr. John Sarno, a retired NYU physician. new york times best seller. Dr. Sarno pioneered the concept that chronic back pain can be caused by internal emotional pressure and can be successfully treated with a non-invasive, brain-centered approach. It was made by Sarno. Tension myositis (or radiculopathy) syndrome.
Pressure is a key factor in chronic pain, and professional athletes are under tremendous pressure from the time they are scouted (sometimes as young as 12 years old) all the way to the NBA.
Financial, familial, and external pressures steadily build and each successive achievement intensifies. On top of the normal stressors of being human, dealing with world-class competition can be the perfect storm for debilitating pain.
and even childhood trauma It can predispose someone to chronic pain.
So Porter began a regimen that included education about how pain is created in the brain rather than surgery, stretching, or conditioning.
He began to respond to his symptoms with less fear.
He linked his pain to emotional problems and pressure. A specially trained therapist named Nicole Sachs..
He associated the pressure to succeed on the court with feeling loved.
And to his surprise, his pain disappeared.
It may sound too good to be true, but the results are real. It’s not limited to MPJ.
research Using the same brain-based approach that Porter used, we show that two-thirds of back pain sufferers (many of whom have suffered for years) can become pain-free.
And it’s not just back pain. Knee pain, ankle pain, migraines, fibromyalgia and many other conditions have been successfully treated. Dr. Sarno reported: Pain-free rate 88% Among his patients, results persisted for three years after treatment. Other research It shows similar results.
Although it is not suitable for everyone (it does not help with fractures, acute sprains, strains, etc.), this treatment is very successful in patients who do not respond to conservative treatment due to persistent pain and in those whose surgical results are less than ideal. .
It can also be used as a low-risk, high-upside approach to test before going under the knife.
Although this is only a guess, players like Ben Simmons and DeMarcus Cousins could be strong candidates to benefit from this treatment.
opportunity
Michael Porter Jr. has proven that brain-focused chronic pain treatment can be successfully applied to NBA stars.
He also highlighted the enormous opportunity.
Athletes can achieve a full recovery, avoid unnecessary surgery, recover faster, and extend their careers.
Teams can keep players healthy on the court and find diamonds in free agency.
Even nearly half of NBA retirees Extreme, everyday pain or discomfortYou can profit.
programs already exists, doctors Therapists are also available, mountain of research and success story Supports use in professional athletics.
It wasn’t that long ago that sports psychology was frowned upon. Almost every team now has a sports psychologist on staff.
Like the first teams and athletes to hire sports psychologists, those looking to become early adopters of brain-based treatments will gain a significant competitive advantage.
Just ask Michael Porter Jr. and the Nuggets.
About Us:
Dr. David Schechter Mindbody is the most experienced sports medicine and chronic pain specialist in Korea. publish several works On topic. Schechter, who holds degrees from Princeton and NYU School of Medicine, has been practicing medicine for more than 35 years. He is on the medical staff at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and is in private practice in Culver City, California.
Alek Kashin A former semi-professional cyclist who suffers from back pain and has become a chronic pain coach for high-performance athletes. Now pain-free, he has helped countless athletes achieve success. groundbreaking With their pain. He is a co-founder. a painless comebackThis is the first mind-body treatment program for athletes suffering from chronic pain.
