Todd Eldredge has hip replacement surgery; expecting first child with fiancée in May

[Iceman]

Isn't it more appropriate now to focus on the woman Todd describes as "amazing"?
http://www.facebook.com/scorbaci

For Todd, yes; but not necessarily the rest of us.

[zilam98]

can i work with him with his rehabilitation for his hip?

[Katarzyna]

...and some people claim that skaters are not athletes!

Certainly people who never skated!

Isn't it also problematic that skate boots do not provide enough give/ cushion to lessen the landing impact?

IMHO skating boots are pretty much horrific. I got a lot of problems with mine recently when doing only single jump combinations and learning to do a sit spin. So I can imagine the pressure that elite skaters must have on their feet and other part of their bodies due to lack of shock absorbance. It looks like with ski or rubber boots for jogging a lot of research has been done to improve them, but figure skating is a sport that isn’t pursued by many people, so the producers of skates just don’t put much effort into scientific research regarding improvements in this field.

Debi Thomas' theory on career-ending injuries (specifically Lipinski and Yagudin) was that her generation spent so many hours training figures (4 for her) that they only had about 2 hours a day for freestyle, unlike the current skaters who spend 4 to 6 hours per day on freestyle.

May I just wish back figures now? It’s not only skaters then had less time for freeskate, as a consequence of it they also had less time to work on triple-triples or regarding the men to work on quads.

Falling doesn't help, but I think landing jumps on one foot is what is so hard on the hip and lower back. Especically triples and quads, and double axels.

I too think it’s not so much the falling. Skaters fall every time when they learn new jumps (e.g. when they start to get their doubles or triples), but doing a quad instead of a triple just puts much more pressure on the body.

Anyways, I hope Todd will recover soon and regarding the positive part of the news: I’m happy for him that he will become a dad soon!

[essence_of_soy]

Interesting that two Callahan students have had this problem, one career - ending.

[Johnny_Fever]

Isn't it more appropriate now to focus on the woman Todd describes as "amazing"?
http://www.facebook.com/scorbaci

Anybody remember the previous woman? I saw her on some home improvement show once. She had this pink fetish. She kept adding pink things to the interior of Todd's home. No wonder he dumped her.

[Rex]

OMG. Those are words no one wants to hear from Mom and Dad, even if it's true!

Tell me about it?

Re Galindo: I thought that his hip replacements were a result of his HIV meds? Wasn't/isn't there a combo of HIV meds whose side effects include damage to the joints? I know of a couple of young guys with HIV who had this happen to them...

[Skate Talker]

Thanks to all who ended my "wasn't Todd already married" confusion.

[Jasmar]

I too think it’s not so much the falling. Skaters fall every time when they learn new jumps (e.g. when they start to get their doubles or triples), but doing a quad instead of a triple just puts much more pressure on the body.

Falling repeatedly on one area definitely causes that area to break down more quickly than others. And my experience as a skater, and watching other skaters in practice, is that many tend to have a certain way they fall; those that frequently land on the hip usually ended up having hip issues even as teens (though not as drastic as the elite skaters, obviously).

Add to that the frequency of falls while learning triples (for most people), and it can sure be a lethal combination on the body.

One of my daughters was a competitive gymnast for a year when she was 6. She had *one* injury - an ankle sprain - that never healed properly despite excellent post-injury care and therapy; even though she took the required rest time of, she kept re-injuring it when she came back. She ended up having to quit within half a year, and the ankle has never been the same.

[aftershocks]

^^ That's too bad. How old is she? Has she been able to take up another, less bone and tendon-stressing activity? What about aqua therapy, isometrics, and acupuncture for her ankle?

[Lacey]

I seem to remember with Tara that it was the 3 loop that might have caused her hip problem, was it only one hip, that's enough LOL, something like the force on the hip before takeoff, am I even making sense, and didn't she have a combo of that? Did Todd do a 3 loop, must have? I hope he has some great rehab process set up.

[AragornElessar]

Tell me about it?

Re Galindo: I thought that his hip replacements were a result of his HIV meds? Wasn't/isn't there a combo of HIV meds whose side effects include damage to the joints? I know of a couple of young guys with HIV who had this happen to them...

I think you're remembering right Rex, because I also remember hearing that about being the cause for Rudy's two hip replacements. Was thinking about Rudy the other day after watching his Ave Maria gala performance from 96 Worlds on my Complation Tape I've got. I've really got to try and see if I can figure out how to dub it onto DVD now that I've got a duel VCR and DVD/DVR. I'm sure I can do it. I just have to sit down and figure out *how* to do it.

On that same tape is Todd's World Championship winning program, as well as a few other of my favourites. Mom made the observation once that he came across as just a cute and adorable Teddy Bear of a guy. From that moment on in this house, Todd became known as Toddy Bear.

Many wishes of a speedy recovery and Congratulations on the little one that's on his or her way Toddy Bear!! May you, Sabrina and the little one have many years of joy and happiness together!!

[aftershocks]

^^ That's a sweet recollection about Todd. Thanks for sharing. I once met Todd in person and I was very impressed by his genuine kindness, affable manner, and appreciation toward fans; characteristics of a true gentleman. One of the more memorable moments for me in figure skating, occurred at 1996 Worlds when Todd went up into the audience and placed his gold medal around his Mom's neck. Her reaction was priceless.

[Rex]

Sounds like Todd is very happy. Good for him.
I am curious about what made the first marriage implode. I remember seeing that show called The Knot, where his bride was all crazy planning for the wedding.

[stevlin]

Anybody remember the previous woman? I saw her on some home improvement show once. She had this pink fetish. She kept adding pink things to the interior of Todd's home. No wonder he dumped her.

His 1st wife had two dogs that slept in canopy beds. How frilly is that? I guess she got custody of the dogs.

[Jasmar]

^^ That's too bad. How old is she? Has she been able to take up another, less bone and tendon-stressing activity? What about aqua therapy, isometrics, and acupuncture for her ankle?

She's doing a little dance on it, and I'm trying to convince her to go with Zumba, since that's what ultimately rehabbed my own ankle. But she's mostly moved into acting.

[aftershocks]

^^ Dance sounds like fun. What is it about Zumba that helped you?

Best of luck to your daughter re her ankle, and with her acting career!

[paskatefan]

On that same tape is Todd's World Championship winning program, as well as a few other of my favourites. Mom made the observation once that he came across as just a cute and adorable Teddy Bear of a guy. From that moment on in this house, Todd became known as Toddy Bear.

Many wishes of a speedy recovery and Congratulations on the little one that's on his or her way Toddy Bear!! May you, Sabrina and the little one have many years of joy and happiness together!!

Love the "Toddy Bear" reference That's our personal nickname for him, too! We think alike, I guess.

aftershocks, I can vouch for Todd as a classy guy, down to earth, and humble. A total gentleman whom we've been fortunate to talk to & see skate many times through the years (1998 US Nationals, COI, SOI, several Disson shows).

[Johnny_Fever]

His 1st wife had two dogs that slept in canopy beds. How frilly is that? I guess she got custody of the dogs.

Why does that not surprise me?

[ProgramerUSFS]

I wonder if diet doesn't have more to do with why some skaters have hip issues vers the ones that don't. There are skaters who have skated for many many years and don't have these issues. What are your thoughts on the diet aspect?

[spikydurian]

I wonder if diet doesn't have more to do with why some skaters have hip issues vers the ones that don't. There are skaters who have skated for many many years and don't have these issues. What are your thoughts on the diet aspect?

I am not an orthopedist but I think diet shouldn't matter greatly? More likely how much 'abuse' was brought on the hip, recuperation exercises and physiotherapy, and personal bone structure and density? Perhaps some posters who have been through this can shed some light?