My Dallas Clark Blog

When one thinks of professional football, probably the last thing one thinks about is arthritis. In a recent article appearing in the San Francisco Chronicle, though, arthritis is an all too painful reminder of the glory days for a group of famous players.

Ron Kroichick, a staff writer, wrote, "On the most famous play in 49ers history, amid the din at raucous Candlestick Park, Joe Montana raced to his right and hurriedly scanned the field. He backpedaled to elude three onrushing Dallas players, twice pumped his arm to throw and floated an off-balance pass into the back of the end zone.

Dwight Clark had cut to the middle before abruptly reversing direction. Clark sprinted toward the corner, leaped high, reached both arms above his head and made The Catch, forever cementing his place in 49ers lore."

Kroichick adds, "Twenty-five years later, Montana's left knee is essentially shredded. His neck is so stiff, he could not turn his head to look at a reporter asking him questions while he signed memorabilia. Montana, 50, turned both shoulders instead.

Clark, also 50, endures sharp pain every time he lifts his arms above his head -- the exact motion he effortlessly completed on The Catch -- because of a bent screw in his left shoulder and arthritis in his right shoulder. The simple act of turning his head also is a chore, thanks to all those jarring hits on crossing patterns over the middle."

"I hurt," Clark said, "from getting my head squashed down into my neck."

The article goes on to say, "The 49ers turned around their franchise in 1981: Two years removed from a second-consecutive 2-14 season, they steamed to the Super Bowl championship two weeks after Clark's epic catch in the NFC title game.

But glory came with a steep price.

The Chronicle interviewed 30 players from the 1981 team in recent months, ranging in age from 47 to 59. Twenty of those players cope with significant physical issues today, from arthritis to chronic back pain to joint replacements. Two (including Montana) have had spinal fusion surgery, two have had knee replacements and one has had a shoulder replacement.

Nine players said their doctors told them they eventually will need a joint replacement. The scorecard: seven knees, one shoulder, one hip."

Kroichick's article points out the devastating effects that occur long term when massive human beings collide with each other repeatedly at ultra high speed.

The most common type of arthritis occurring in adults is osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a condition that happens as a result of the wearing away of cartilage, the gristle that covers the ends of long bones and provides the cushioning for joints.

One of the most common causes of osteoarthritis is trauma. Trauma alters the chemistry of cartilage, causing chronic inflammation and premature damage. One of the results of trauma is chronic arthritis in the spine- a condition known as spinal stenosis. People with this condition walk hunched over because standing leads to excruciating pain in the low back and legs. If present in the neck it can cause severe pain shooting into the back of the head, between the shoulder blades, and down the arms.

Another effect of trauma in these football players is damage to peripheral joints such as the shoulders, hips, elbows, hands, knees, and ankles.

The common denominator, regardless of location of the disease, is pain.

Medical management of osteoarthritis consists of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), physical therapy, and injections consisting of corticosteroids or viscosupplements. Unfortunately, with severe OA, patients often need surgery.

Osteoarthritis is the leading cause for joint replacement surgery in the United States. And, the 49ers experience, also demonstrates that spinal surgery is often required. While spinal surgery is effective for many patients, it also fails to help a significant percentage of people. Also, a not so small number of patients actually get worse and suffer from "failed back surgery syndrome."

Ex football players require joint replacement at a relatively young age. This means that they will need what is called a revision arthroplasty- a replacement of the replacement during their lives.

This article is being written on the eve of the 2007 Super Bowl pitting the Chicago Bears and the Indianapolis Colts. While glory and fame will drape these players for a short time, the price to be paid in the end is a steep one.