Monday, January 17, 2011

MSU gymnastics: Mahoney's spirit aiding in recovery

MSU gymnastics: Mahoney's spirit aiding in recovery

MSU gymnastics: Mahoney's spirit aiding in recovery

Posted: 17 Jan 2011 01:35 AM PST

Dr. Larry Nassar has been around gymnastics for nearly 30 years as a trainer and doctor, and Michigan State's gymnastics team doctor also is the national team physician for USA Gymnastics, coordinating medical care at every national and international competition since 1996.

Kathie Klages has been around gymnastics for 35 years, and this is her 20th season as MSU's head coach.

Both say the same thing about MSU senior gymnast Kathryn Mahoney and the Dec. 29 neck injury in practice that left her paralyzed from the neck down.

They've never seen anything like it. They believe she'll recover from it, although there's no certainty Mahoney will be able to walk again.

"We don't know that at this point. There's still hope from every aspect," Nassar said of Mahoney, who now has some feeling in her arms and upper extremities. "Kathryn Mahoney is such an exceptional individual, with such determination and character, that the odds or laws of averages do not hold up in her case. We expect her to exceed all probabilities."

Said Klages: "It's so important to get across how strong the spirit of this young woman is, and how many people she's touched. She's an incredible, incredible young woman."

Mahoney, 21, was moved Jan. 6 to the world-renowned Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, where she'll stay as short as six weeks and as long as a year before continuing rehab on an outpatient basis.

"She's a heck of a fighter," said MSU athletic director Mark Hollis, who was there to greet Mahoney when she moved to the RIC, "and there are some signs that are optimistic."

Klages expected Mahoney to be her top all-around gymnast this season. While practicing the vault on Dec. 29, Mahoney didn't like her angle of trajectory and "bailed" on the vault.

The idea is to avoid coming down on the head. Mahoney landed on her chest and face.

"She accomplished what she was trying to do," Nassar said, "but unfortunately the force of the impact was so great, it created a hyperextension of her neck, and a fracture."

It was a fracture of the C6 vertebra. Mahoney, whose family is remaining private at this point, had emergency surgery to stabilize the vertebra that day at Sparrow Hospital.

Nassar and Klages both have seen neck fractures over the years, but never like this and never with paralysis as a result.

Nassar does not want to speculate publicly on Mahoney's chances of regaining feeling below her waist, but he is optimistic that she'll have upper-body function and be able to live an independent life.

"The probability of a high school athlete receiving a college scholarship is less than the likelihood of Kathryn living an independent life," he said.

This has been tough on Klages and her team, which spoke to a sports psychologist about the importance of pushing forward and competing to honor Mahoney.

The Spartans dedicated the season to her and started a fund for her medical expenses with the money they were going to use on their Christmas gift exchange.

Mahoney's nickname is "Money," so a dollar sign inside a heart (the team's long-standing motto is "Spartan Heart") adorns each leotard.

As the team rode a bus Thursday to West Virginia for a meet, Mahoney spoke to them from her room via Skype - as she'll do before every meet this season.

"She just lights up when she sees her teammates," Klages said.

Klages said the support from the gymnastics community has been "overwhelming." She believes Mahoney will recover, and that belief - along with Mahoney's positive attitude since the injury - has helped her get through a nightmarish stretch.

"It's devastating. It's heartbreaking," Klages said. "I'd change places with her in a heartbeat if the good Lord would let me."

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