Brian Bannister Update

[Blue Jeans]

Brian Bannister was kind enough to check in with an update on his health. He originally suffered what seemed like a Grade 1 right hamstring strain in San Francisco in April. Here's the E-mail he sent:

 

Adam,

I hope you are doing well, and I just wanted to give you an update on my injury because I know there has been a lot of confusion about it from everyone as you indicated in your blog.

 

My original injury in San Francisco included a partial tear (more severe than a Grade 1) deep in the middle of the hamstring close to the Sciatic Nerve. The original MRI that was done in Atlanta revealed that the hamstring had a Grade 1 strain, which it did, and we rehabbed according to that information.

 

In my rehab start in Norfolk, while covering first, I felt pain at the tendon at the top of my hamstring. I did not re-injure the original injury. Because the original injury included a partial tear which requires a much longer recovery period than the 3 weeks that had elapsed, it was not keeping up with my other hamstring and this put undue stress on the tendon.

 

This was actually not a setback, but helped us discover that the original injury included a partial tear deep down in the leg.

 

Because the partial tear was near the Sciatic Nerve (the large nerve that originates in the lower back), the resulting scar tissue that formed while healing was irritating the nerve and not allowing me to rehab at full capacity. The only way to break up the scar tissue is through anti-inflammatories and deep-tissue massage, and that has been my treatment for the last few weeks.

 

The scar tissue is now gone, the leg is approaching 100%, and I will begin simulation games and rehab starts in the next two weeks.

 

My arm has remained in pitching shape throughout this entire process, because it has never bothered me to pitch, just to run. I have also used the time to work on many aspects of my pitching, and have developed two new pitches that are sharper and more consistent.

 

I hope this clears up any confusion and gives everyone the proper information, because it was a complicated and unique injury. The Mets staff have done an outstanding job in the rehab process, because there were things that only I could feel and that were difficult to diagnose medically. I am now stronger and throwing harder than before because of the intense physical workouts.

 

Please use this information to give everyone the proper update, and I am looking forward to helping the Mets when I return.

 

Take care, and have a good evening.

 

-Brian Bannister

[gateb]

Thank god. Having Bannister coming up is almost like having Kazmir come back for free or for Zambrano. Same thing.

[Blue Jeans]

2 new pitches and more velocity. If he can run what a gift it is.

[Reaper]

Glad to here Bannister is soon to be back and people don't rush Pelfrey remember the rush on Generation K?