by Larry Eder
LoLo Jones, 2012 US Open, photo by PhotoRun.net
On Saturday, January 28, LoLo Jones ran her first race, after her back surgery last summer. ” When I first had the surgery, I needed to work up to walking 20 minutes. And that was for a world class athlete!”
That hard work, and recovery lead to LoLo winning the 50m hurdles in US Open. Running the fastest time over the seldom run distance in a decade, LoLo told the media afterwards that she felt great and gave kudoes to the DISC Sports & Spine Center. LoLo, as of February 6, has now won four straight races, her most recent on Sunday evening, February 5, in Moscow, Russia, where she won and ran 7.89 for the 60m hurdles at the Russian Winter meeting.
Not only that, LoLo Jones broke the Russian Winter meet record for the 60m hurdles, held by Jena Sokolova, way back in 1993, by .03 (7.92). LoLo Jones ran 7.89, leading a sweep by Americans, Ivette Lewis in 8.03 and Danielle Carruthers, the 2011 WC silver medalist at 100m hurdles, in 8.05.
LoLo Jones, the World Indoor Champ at 60m hurdles in 2008 and 2010, hopes to defend her title in Istanbul, Turkey.
Here is a release from the DIS Sports & Spine Center:
DISC Sports & Spine Center Sponsors
Eight Team USA Hopefuls
for 2012 Olympic Games in London
Olympians Lolo Jones, Eric Shanteau and Brad
Walker Headline
Athletes Named to DISC’s “Champion Care” Program
Los Angeles – February
1, 2012 – DISC Sports &
Spine Center (DISC), an official medical services provider for the U.S. Olympic
Team, announced today the eight Team USA hopefuls it will sponsor through its “Champion
Care” program for their journey to the 2012 Olympic Games in London. DISC’s “Champion
Care” athletes include track and field stars Lolo Jones, Brianna Glenn, Jenny
Adams and Brad Walker, swimmers Eric Shanteau and Jessica Hardy, BMX’s Mike Day
and triathlon athlete Sarah Haskins.
As
all eight strive to become part of Team USA, DISC will continue to play a vital
role in their success stories through a sponsorship featuring complementary top-quality
medical care–an immense benefit when premium health care costs are often
exorbitant. Through DISC’s partnership with the USOC, the “Champion Care” athletes
will have access to an elite medical team, a range of integrated services and a
world-class facility in which they can both recover and train. In addition, each
athlete will receive a stipend to help cover training expenses.
For
their part, the “Champion Care” athletes have given DISC access to their personal
journeys on the road to the 2012 Olympics Games, including the documented and potentially
career ending injuries that DISC identified and treated. With permission, DISC
will share these stories through videos, interviews and profiles released as
the athletes train, attempt to qualify and ultimately compete on the world’s
largest stage in London.
“We
are thrilled to play a part in helping such extraordinary athletes achieve
their Olympic dreams,” said Dr. Robert S. Bray, Jr., DISC’s CEO and Founding
Director. “We also look forward to inspiring other hopefuls through their
unique accounts about the challenges they’ve faced in competing for a spot on
Team USA. While their injuries are just one part of the story, the health of an
athlete is at the foundation of his or her long-term success.”
Lolo Jones, considered one of the best female 100m hurdlers in
the world, was meters away from a gold medal in Beijing before she clipped a
hurdle and placed seventh in the race. On a quest for redemption, Jones sought
treatment with DISC to release a tethered spinal cord and ultimately saved her
Olympic ambitions. In January 2012, just six months following her surgery,
Jones won the U.S. Open in the 50m hurdles and has already dominated the spotlight
leading into this summer’s Olympic Games.
Eric Shanteau, a national swimming champion and 11-time All-American
who competes in the 100m and 200m breaststroke and 4x100m relay, faced his
biggest challenge when he battled testicular cancer following his appearance in
the 2008 Olympic Games. Already the American record holder in the 100m
breaststroke, Shanteau now trains with an Olympic
medal on his mind after seeking help at DISC’s Soft Tissue Center to manage a
shoulder injury through medical treatment, acupuncture, rehabilitation and
strength and conditioning.
Brad Walker, twice a World Champion and six times a USA Pole
Vault Champion, currently holds the North American pole vault record. In a
competition following the 2008 Olympics, Walker crashed into the pole vaulting
box during a 19’6″ jump attempt. He struggled to return from a pelvis injury,
ruptured disc in his back and disc bulge in his neck. After receiving minimally
invasive back surgery (microdiscectomy) at DISC, Walker has resumed his
training with a goal of jumping the world record at 20’2″, higher than his
previous best of 19’9″.
Jessica Hardy, a World Champion swimmer and Team USA athlete, set
three world records before the age of 21. After missing the 2008 Olympic Games,
Hardy has come back strong, being crowned the World Champion in the 50m
breaststroke and winning a silver medal in the 4x100m freestyle relay. Hardy
has used DISC’s Soft Tissue Center for medical treatment on her shoulder, as well
as for rehabilitation, strength and conditioning, acupuncture and sports
psychology.
Mike Day, Team USA Olympic BMX silver medalist, had struggled
with a herniated and bulged spinal disc in his back, with no relief from his attempts
to use alternative therapy. After undergoing minimally invasive surgery to replace
a disc between vertebrae with an artificial titanium disc, he quickly resumed
competing and looks ahead for an even stronger showing at the 2012 Olympic
Games.
Sarah Haskins, a Team USA triathlete and USA National Champion, became
a professional athlete in 2004, less than a year after competing in her first
triathlon. After participating in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Haskins set her
sites on an even bigger outing at the 2012 Olympic Games. What she thought was
an ankle sprain that refused to heal nearly thwarted her plans, until she
received a proper diagnosis. Minimally invasive surgery at DISC has allowed her
to resume her training and prepare for London.
Brianna Glenn, an NCAA Champion, U.S. Champion and member of World
Championship teams for long jump, hopes to make her first Olympic appearance in
London this summer after narrowly missing it in years past. Glenn sought
rehabilitative services from DISC for a sprained
ankle and lingering knee issues that caused her to switch jump legs late in her
career.
Jenny Adams, an 11-time All-American and member of nine Team USA
squads, hopes to make her first Olympic appearance in the 100m hurdles after
missing it three previous times. Adams works with DISC for ongoing pain
management for a bulged disc in her back and uses the Soft Tissue Center at
DISC to maintain her recovery. Following her retirement from the sport, Adams
began working for DISC in her current role as an Athlete Liaison, which has
inspired her to return to her training regimen and compete for a spot this
year’s Team USA.
About DISC
Sports & Spine Center
As
an official medical services provider of the United States Olympic Committee
(USOC) and Red Bull athletes, DISC Sports & Spine Center (DISC) is one of
America’s foremost providers of minimally invasive spine procedures and
advanced arthroscopic techniques. Dr. Robert S. Bray, Jr. founded DISC with the
vision of delivering an unparalleled patient experience for those suffering
from sports injuries, orthopedic issues and spine disorders. DISC’s
individually picked, highly specialized physicians apply both established and
innovative solutions to diagnose, treat and rehabilitate their patients in a
one-stop, multi-disciplinary setting. With a wide range of specialists under
one roof, the result is an unmatched continuity of care with more efficiency,
less stress for the patient and a zero MRSA infection rate. For more
information, contact DISC at 866.481.DISC or visit www.discmdgroup.com.
For more on LoLo’s winter in Moscow: Russian Winter Meeting
