Tara Undergoes Successful SurgeryDuring the final moments of the September 22 Stars on Ice practice in Simsbury, CT., Olympic gold medalist and world professional ladies figure skating champion Tara Lipinski, 18, injured her hip while attempting her final triple Lutz jump. This is a reoccurrence of the same injury she suffered last summer.“The injury involves a muscle tear against the bone that holds the ball in place in the hip,” said Lipinski’s coach Craig Maurizi. “What happened is that the scar tissue from last year’s injury didn’t firmly reattach itself to the bone, leaving the hip susceptible to further damage.” Lipinski flew to Holy Cross Hospital in Ft. Lauderdale, FL to see the care of renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Marc Philippon, a specialist who has treated other professional athletes, including golfer Greg Norman, for similar hip surgeries. After an MRI, it was determined she needed surgery to reattach the muscle to the bone. The 3-hour operation was performed the morning of Sept. 24. “Tara will be on crutches for three weeks,” said Maurizi. “In a week and a half, she will return to the doctor to be re-evaluated. Then, we will have a specific date for her return to the ice, but we are anticipating six weeks.” While Lipinski will miss some competitions and appearances, she is expected to make a full recovery and be back on the ice in time for the Stars On Ice tour. “Tara is doing very well and is in good spirits,” said her mother Pat Lipinski in a press release. “She is looking forward to getting back on the ice and to skating better than ever.” Stars on Ice rehearsals continue in Simsbury through mid-October with the annual preview show scheduled for November 25 in Lake Placid, New York.
Source- Blades On Ice
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