US Olympic Skier Daron Rahlves dislocated his hip for the fourth time in his professional career during the January 31 Winter X Games. The injury came during the skicross competition, the same competition for which 2 days prior, Rahlves was selected to the Olympic Games. While a typical dislocation requires months to heal, ESPN reported Rahlves will undergo a variety of treatments to hasten recovery including: platelet rich plasma (PRP), physical therapy, magnetic pulse stimulation and acupuncture.
From his home in California, Rahlves said the decision to compete would be made the day before the Olympic race, scheduled for February 21.
“There is a glint of hope and a chance I could pull it off,” Rahlves told The Associated Press Friday. “It’s pretty much going to come down to the day before.”
Over 90% of Alpine skiers’ hip dislocations are diagnosed posterior dislocations. In this dislocation type, large force placed on the skier’s flexed knee and hip cause hip adduction and internal rotation, separating the joint’s ball and socket. Because Rahlves injury is recurring, it is likely the ligaments usually holding the ball and socket together, are damaged. The use of platelet rich plasma therapy in Rahlves’ hip is indicative of this. While PRP has been credited by some professional athletes for its ability to expedite healing time before competition, there is no legitimate clinical data suggesting Rahlves will be back on skis, competing against the world’s best by the February 21 Olympic race.
Simultaneous treatments are this 12-time World Cup winner’s only hope of bringing home his first Olympic medal. “I’m not counting it out,” Rahlves stated. “But, I’m not 100 percent saying I am doing it, so I don’t have all those expectations get crushed if I find out I can’t compete.”
Dr. Sports Med 