Macdougall Taps Into New Lease On Career
Newcastle Herald
Wednesday December 3, 2008
FOR Knights centre Luke MacDougall, a few hours of tapping his fingers on a computer keyboard has ended almost two years of banging his head against a wall.
The forgotten man of Newcastle's backline is back at training after a fortnight rubbing shoulders, elbows and other busted body parts with some of professional sport's elite at one of America's leading sports medicine centres.MacDougall, who is recovering from a series of operations to repair a ruptured triceps in his right arm, stumbled across the Andrews Centre while researching his injury on the internet.The centre was founded by orthopedic surgeon Dr James Andrews 20 years ago and attracts athletes from all over the sporting world not to New York or Los Angeles but the deep south of Alabama.MacDougall emailed Dr Andrews after reconstructive surgery in August, continued corresponding, then flew to Birmingham last month for two weeks of intensive rehabilitation at the centre."I figured it was silly just doing the same things and hoping it would work out differently, so I did a little bit of research," MacDougall said."I went to four surgeons here to find one who was up to date with all the latest research."The first couple wanted me in a cast for eight weeks fully straight, but it's been such a battle getting my flexibility back. The physios over there said if you're in a cast like that for eight weeks, you'd probably never get your full range back. "For catching and holding a footy and all the things I need to do, it would have been an absolute disaster."So by seeking out the right people . . . it really has saved my career. If I went down the same line and got the thing done the way I had before, I really believe I wouldn't still be playing."MacDougall said his fellow outpatients included Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Brodie Croyle, Seattle Seahawks defensive end Patrick Kerney, England and Manchester City defender Danny Mills and several professional baseballers and basketballers. Pro wrestler John Cena had been there two weeks earlier to work on a torn pectoral muscle."When pitchers throw they can snap a ligament in their arm. It was retiring some ridiculous amount of pitchers and Dr Andrews pioneered the surgery that saved all their careers," MacDougall said."You're in a group of six or eight full-time athletes and apart from a lunch break, you spend the whole day with Professor Kevin Wilk, their rehabilitation director, and two physios he works with."Guys who are best in their fields in the NFL, NBA, baseball, just being around them and seeing their work ethic, hearing some of their stories, it was really inspiring."At first I felt a little bit out of place because all of them, bar none, are getting tens of millions of dollars. They didn't really understand the concept of a professional athlete not getting paid in the millions, but they were all pretty much down-to-earth fellas."After 58 games for the Sharks, Rabbitohs and Dragons in the previous six seasons, the 26-year-old outside back made only two NRL appearances for Newcastle in 2007 then played just a handful of games in the second-tier NSW Cup this year.He had a partial reconstruction in between leaving Souths and joining the Dragons, aggravated it at the Dragons in early 2007, then completely tore the tendon in his second game for the Knights. His first full reconstruction was in June last year, then he had the same surgery in August this year."I think you kind of know deep down when things aren't right and I had that underlying insecurity after the surgery last year. I was in pain all the time and it just never felt right," he said. "It's a relief to finally have some confidence in the arm now."MacDougall said he finally felt like an NRL footballer again and was confident of making an impact next season. He hopes to play in pre-season trials but, if not, expects to be back on the field by the opening rounds."It's been more disheartening than anything, to have an injury and to have it keep happening. I haven't strung more than three games together in over two years now," he said."For me, it's almost like my rookie year again, trying to absorb all the information at training so I can hit the ground running next year."
© 2008 Newcastle Herald