When Andrew Bynum was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, which has been every season of his NBA career, the four words you did not want to hear in the same sentence was Andrew Bynum knee surgery, as it was most likely more bad news. So after Bynum was recently traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, in a four team deal that landed Dwight Howard in Los Angeles, Andre Iguodalawith the Denver Nuggets, and pretty much nothing to the Orlando Magic, and news came out that Bynum would be heading overseas, 76ersfans immediately panicked. And rightfully so.
But if you are one of those fans who immediately panicked upon hearing that news I have two words for you, calm down. The point of the media is to pull you into a story so you can watch their shows, listen to their radio shows, and read their articles online, which is exactly what they did to many fans with this story. First of all, while Bynum is technically having surgery, as that is what it is labeled as, the procedure is completely non-surgical, as confusing as that may sound it is true.
The procedure known as Orthokine/Regenokine surgery, which was made famous by athletes Kobe Bryant and Alex Rodriguez, will be performed in Germany by Dr. Peter Wehling. On Wehling’s site he points out that a protein in the human body, known as interleukin‑1 (IL-1), is a key supporter in developing osteoarthritis. The protein, which can develop in anyone, also helps to develop joint inflammation and degeneration of the cartilage. So, Wehling’s procedure is simple, he simply injects the protein interleukin‑1 (IL-1),into the affected area, with it’s biological opposite, interleukin‑1 receptor antagonist (IL‑1RA). The result is a protection, or slowed pace, of the wear and tear on the knee, relieveing pain and discomfort in the knee area.
So, while the procedure may seem confusing, it is hardly risky, and simply something that Bynum is willing to explore, due mainly in part to former teammate Kobe Bryant raving about it, and how good his knees felt this past season. Instead of freaking out, and criticizing Bynum, fans should be thankful that he is willing to put in the time to try and keep his knees as healthy and possible for the start of the 2012-2013 NBA season.
It is unknown whether Bynum will have the procedure done on one, or both of his knees, but according to a report by John Mitchell, of Philly.com, a source has informed him that Bynum is feeling no pain whatsoever and simply wants to keep his knees healthy for as long as possible. One of the key criticisms on Bynum his whole career has been that he is not truly dedicated to basketball, flying overseas to take part in an “exploratory” procedure seems like dedication to me.
DON’T FORGET TO FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER @NBAINSIDERINFO
