Q & A with Greek

[SoCalBronco]

Friday, July 8, 2005

Head Athletic Trainer Steve Antonopulos' Answers!
This week was your chance to ask questions of the man who keeps the Broncos physically ready to play every Sunday. That man is head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos.

A veteran of Denver’s football operations department, Antonopulos and his staff are charged with everything from wrapping ankles before kickoff to overseeing players’ rehab. This can take just a few days or an entire offseason of work and dedication. In close to 30 years with the club, "Greek" has worked with many injured players to help them return to action on the field.

Antonopulos is took time this week to answer your questions. Here's what he had to say:

Charles; Miami, Florida
What is the worst injury that you have seen personally throughout your career?

Steve Antonopulos
There have been a lot of injuries over the years. The ones that raise your anxiety levels the most are the potentially catastrophic injuries. I remember our team playing in Buffalo a number of years ago and a wide receiver went up to catch a ball and was hit under the chin causing him to be unconscious and not breathing. Everything turned out great and he came back to play again. Head and neck injuries are always potentially catastrophic as well. I have seen numerous fractures and dislocation of different body parts that have been pretty interesting as well.

Jim Kidd; Greenfield, Indiana
I have an idea that a big portion of rehab is attitude or mental. If this is true how does a trainer address this on an individual basis?

Steve Antonopulos
You answered the question with your question. You have to individualize every rehab program. You have to remember it is devastating to a player to be injured. The attitude has to be positive and upbeat with all players. Most of all you have to be honest and caring with each player.

Chris Prusse; Lone Tree, Colorado
Could you explain the difference between a player who is "hurt" and one that is "injured"?

Steve Antonopulos
They are one and the same. I am sure your mindset is one of whether they are injured or not. Doesn’t happen too much today as malingers are weeded out early in the off season programs. The roster limitation has an affect.

[SoCalBronco]

Chris Coucke; Mt. Pleasant, Michigan
Do you think that Courtney Brown will be 100 percent healthy and ready to go by the beginning of preseason and is his current injury something that could nag him all season long?

Steve Antonopulos
He has worked his rear end off since he arrived here. He is very motivated and has done a great job doing all the things required for his return.

Jake Gibbons; Gunnison, Colorado
What is a Lisfranc sprain? Is it as hard to recover from as everyone says it is? Can Courtney Brown recover from it?

Steve Antonopulos
A Lisfranc sprain is a stretching or tearing of the Lisfranc ligament which passes the lateral (outside) surface of the medial cuneiform bone in the foot. This is known as the Lisfranc joint. The cuneiform bone is located on the medial (inside) of the foot just proximal (behind) the 1st metatarsal bone otherwise behind the long bone in the foot. It is important to stability of the foot. It is also affected by weight bearing. Larger players are less predictable than smaller players in terms of recovery. We certainly hope that Courtney Brown will recover. He is doing very well at the present.

Kurtis Singer; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
What can Tatum Bell do this season to remain free of injuries following a rookie season that was laden with them?

Steve Antonopulos
He is working very hard in the strength and conditioning program. As we know this is the main way players can prevent injuries.

[SoCalBronco]

Darrel; Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Have you ever walked out to an injured player to find that he is faking the injury for clock management purposes?

Steve Antonopulos
I plead the 5th.

Dustan Lang; Medicine Hat, Alberta
How many physical therapists do you have on staff and how many therapists are licensed in ART?

Steve Antonopulos
We have the founder of ART that works on our medical staff. Dr. Mike Leahy, who is from Colorado Springs works with us three time a week. He is the best!

Michael Sutherland; Bloomington, Indiana
Of all the years you've been mending injured Broncos, have there been any injuries that have stood out in your memory as being more heart-wrenching for you personally, and if so, why? I would think that you've managed to develop some rather close relationships with players over time and might be protective of them when it comes to injuries.

Steve Antonopulos
There is no doubt that you develop relationships with people you work with. Players are no different. It is very devastating for a player to be injured. Part of the challenge and fun of our job relates to caring about and helping the players back to participation. There are a number of players on our team that we call “our guys” because we all went through so much together.

Zach; Pace, Florida
What is the hardest part about your job?

Steve Antonopulos
It is hard to explain, but if you love and enjoy your job, there is not a hard part about it. It is very demanding and challenging everyday. That is part of the reason it is such a great job. The bottom line is that the Denver Broncos make it that way because the organization cares about doing the right thing the right way. That makes it good for everyone involved.

[SoCalBronco]

John M.; Lancaster, Pennsylvania
After a player tears an ACL, what type of graft to you recommend and does the player ever return to pre-injury form and health in the affected knee. What type of therapy program do you prescribe for the athlete after surgery?

Steve Antonopulos
The players generally have an autograft which is the middle 1/3 of the patella tendon. Yes, the player does return to pre-injury form and health. Some take longer than others. The type of therapy program is individualized based on the physician’s protocol. It also depends on any others things that were injured during the trauma.

Joni; Billings, Montana
On game days, how early do you show up before a game and how long does it take to get all the players ready for the game?

Steve Antonopulos
I usually am at the stadium around 7:30 AM for a 2:00 p.m. game. Most players arrive 2-4 hours before the game and it takes right up to the warm up to get them ready.

Brian O'Quinn; Thornton, Colorado
Do you feel the ban on horse-collar tackles will reduce the risk of receivers and running backs receiving a season/career ending injury or was Terrell Owens injury a fluke?

Steve Antonopulos
Any rule changes in regards to injury prevention you hope work. The same is true for this change.

Russell Dillard; Richmond, Virginia
Regarding Trevor Pryce's back problem from last year, was it a spinal problem or muscular and is he 100 percent healed from it?

Steve Antonopulos
Trevor had a herniated disc. He has been participating fully in all off season conditioning and camps and has done well.

Blake; Altoona, Pennsylvania
Is Mike Anderson all the way back and will he be at old form?

Steve Antonopulos
Mike has been participating fully in all the off season conditioning and camps and has done well.

Alex Kinstner; Chicago, Illinois
What exactly happens when you tear your ACL or MCL?

Steve Antonopulos
I am not sure what your question is. You have trauma to the ACL and MCL ligaments generally from a lateral blow in regards to the MCL and a torsional force in regards to the ACL. The MCL is generally from a contact injury and an ACL is generally from no contact.

Bill; Brighton, Colorado
What is the toughest part of dealing with athletes' injuries and what is the most satisfying?

Steve Antonopulos
The hardest part is to make them believe they are going to be OK again. It is very devastating to a player to be injured. The mental aspect is very important. The most gratifying aspect is to see these players return to the field and play again. The other gratifying aspect is the relationships you develop along the way.

Greg; Herndon, Virginia
What made you want to be an athletic trainer?

Steve Antonopulos
I came from a little, small town and always wanted to be a physician. I didn’t have the greatest confidence coming out of high school. I had a friend that was involved in athletic training who influenced me to go this direction and have never looked back. In fact I am living a dream working for the Denver Broncos. It was a goal of mine to do so.

[SoCalBronco]

Micah Pexa; Honolulu, Hawaii
Who is the best player you have ever had in rehab, in terms of attitude, work ethic, focus, diligence, etc?

Steve Antonopulos
After 29 years it is hard to just single out one. I always enjoyed working with John Elway. Tom Nalen was special as has been Dan Neil and many, many others.

Gilbert Sanchez; El Paso, Texas
What is a typical week like for you during the season?

Steve Antonopulos
Sunday is game day, generally, and I am at the stadium from 7:30 a.m. until 6:30-7 p.m. if we are home. Mondays include treatments for players and they also have conditioning workouts and meetings. I am at the team's headquarters from 5 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday is the players' day off but those who need it will have treatment, I'm at work from 5 a.m.–4 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays are practice days that also include player treatments; hours are 5 a.m.–6-7 p.m.. Friday is a practice day as well with treatments and lasts from 5 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays include treatments, meetings and travel after the players' meetings if we are playing on the road. If we are home, treatments are from 5 a.m.-11:30 a.m. and then I'm at the hotel with the players and coaches that night.

Jarious Jones; New Orleans, Louisiana
What advice would you give to a person that wants to someday become a head athletic trainer?

Steve Antonopulos
Go to the best undergraduate and graduate athletic training schools that you can afford. Work as hard as you possibly can and be a highly loyal and ethical person with great character.

Brent Geist; Denver, Colorado
What exactly is a stinger?

Steve Antonopulos
A “stinger” is generally associated to a brachial plexus compression injury in the neck. This is a plexus of nerves that run from the neck underneath the collarbones. It also is associated with a pinched nerve.

[SoCalBronco]

Bill Miller; Spokane, Washington
Are you ever forced to tell a player that he has no shot of recovering from an injury? Like Terrell Davis and his degenerative knee condition, if you knew he wasn't going to be able to come back, would you tell him that or would you let him work and try to beat the laws of physics?

Steve Antonopulos
We always take the high road. We try to be positive and upbeat. It is not over until the fat lady sings. We are very upfront and honest with the players. They deserve to know what is involved. We always try to beat the odds and never give up, but we are also realists.

Scott Fleischmann; Ormond Beach, Florida
If a player gets hurt during a game, who's decision is it to let him go back in and play or make him stay out?

Steve Antonopulos
The bottom line is it's the medical staff’s decision. The player's opinion is important but the final decision rests with the medical staff. The coach is involved as well and sometimes helps us to be more conservative with injuries.

John Jeffries; Gaithersburg, Maryland
Can you comment on John Elway's torn bicep injury that occurred in a preseason game late in his career? What was the immediate first aid given for the injury and what treatment program was used to get him back on the field so quickly?

Steve Antonopulos
The initial treatment was ICE. You have to understand he tore the long head of the bicep which is located in the shoulder joint. An MRI told us the stub from the bicep was not in the joint. We allowed the soft tissues to heal and put him on a strengthening program and he played in about 10 days.
Kenneth McMillen; Newport News, Virginia
Do you think in today's game we tend to rush players back onto the field instead of properly letting them heal after a serious injury? I know the NFL is a billion dollar business, but don't you think the coaches and owners would make more money in the long run if they kept their players healthy, instead of always taking the win now attitude? Fans could help too by being more patient and supportive in the same respect.

Steve Antonopulos
I think it is important to let you know that is the approach that is taken. A player does not return until he is ready to play. Obviously, the rehab programs are dealing with elite athletes who condition themselves on going and they come back quicker than a non-athletic person. In addition from the time they are hurt they are involved in whatever type of conditioning they can do. They rehab and condition full time. This is their job.

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[SoCalBronco]

Michael Deal; Marysville, Washington
I was watching the Super Bowl XXXII highlight video and it showed during the second quarter when you were treating Terrell Davis for his migraine. It was up to you (and your staff) to get the best player in football back out on the field during the biggest game of the year. Can you explain how much tension is in a situation like that?

Steve Antonopulos
When a player is injured there is always anxiety. The bottom line is you try to do the right thing the right way. Fortunately, we had dealt with this problem prior to that game. Everything fell into place. Obviously, the good Lord was seeing blue and orange that January day.

Joe Sarago; Angusville, New York
I was at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony last year when John Elway was inducted. During his speech he thanked you for all your help during his career. Being that you worked with John Elway his whole career do you think he could have played a few more years, or do you think he retired at the right time?

Steve Antonopulos
I think John did the right thing for John. How else would it have been any better for him? He went out on top. Not many have had that opportunity. He won the Super Bowl and was the MVP. He gave so much for so long!

Kevin Clark; Barnegat, New Jersey
You've been a trainer for a long time. In that time, what has been the innovation or technique that has had the biggest influence on getting players back on the field in the NFL?

Steve Antonopulos
I think the thing that has been so important to getting players back on the field has been the mobilizing of their injuries. The other aspect is the aggressive rehabilitation techniques and total body awareness concepts involved with rehabilitation

[Rocket 7]

Friday, July 8, 2005

Chris Prusse; Lone Tree, Colorado
Could you explain the difference between a player who is "hurt" and one that is "injured"?

Steve Antonopulos
They are one and the same. I am sure your mindset is one of whether they are injured or not. Doesn’t happen too much today as malingers are weeded out early in the off season programs. The roster limitation has an affect.
SoCalBronco great tread (wink,wink) That question reminds me of the movie "The Program"

[TheReverend]

Notice he dodged ALL the health questions and just gave vague optimistic answers.