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PREP GIRLS' HOOPS INSIDER
Graham's Cain overcomes leg disorder to play again
Doctors cut both of her thigh bones in half and straightened them in May, and now she's back on the court for the Falcons.
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Wednesday, December 12, 2007
ST. PARIS — Cierra Cain still catches herself waddling at times.
Her mom, Sharon, jokingly nicknamed her penguin.
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Graham's Cierra Cain ducks under a Triad defender who was trying to block her breakaway shot under the basket during a game last season. Cain said of her surgery and ensuing recovery, 'It's a lot of work ... but I'm glad I did it.' Staff photo by Bill Lackey
Cierra Cain's femoral anteversion and tibial torsion meant her legs and feet were not aligned. Contributed photo"I used to make fun of myself," Cain said. "I walked really bad. I still kind of waddle sometimes, but at least my legs are straight. That's all I care about."
Now that she's healthy and back on the basketball court, the Graham junior guard doesn't mind being teased one bit.
This summer, Cain had surgery to remedy a severe condition called femoral anteversion and tibial torsion, a problem which 90 percent of children outgrow by age 9.
The condition caused her knees to stick out when her feet were straight. It did the same thing to her feet when her knees were straight. It was also severely painful, and she couldn't stand for long periods of time. She wasn't even able to sit Indian-style.
"She could hardly walk," Sharon said. "It got to the point where she had trouble standing to do dishes."
In May, Cain decided to have surgery, hoping to be back in time for basketball season. Dr. Michael Albert of Children's Medical Center in Dayton performed the surgery called femoral derotational osteotomy. The operation consisted of two 6-inch incisions at the side of each of Cain's thighs, pulling the muscle away from the femur, cutting the femur in half, straightening the leg and inserting a plate and five screws in each leg. Rehabilitation was set to take six months to a year.
After four weeks of laying in a hospital bed at her house, motionless, Cain eventually began walking on crutches.
"She basically had to learn to walk again with straight legs," Sharon said.
A week later she progressed to waddling — and working on basketball.
"As soon as I was waddling, I was trying to shoot and dribble," Cain said.
She eventually was able to jog, run and jump. She was cleared to play basketball in November, but is still working out the kinks from her surgery.
"I'm still trying to learn how (my legs) work," Cain said. "It's hard. I was really fast before the surgery, and now I'm a little bit slower."
Cain has appeared in every game for the Falcons (0-7) this season, but being healthy is really all that matters.
"I love playing basketball," Cain said. "It's a lot of work, but I don't mind doing it. I'm glad I did it."
Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0365 or mcooper@coxohio.com.
Comments
By Marcella Martin and Brooklyn Hillsman
December 24, 2007 2:57 PM | Link to this
We new she could do it, stay strong and keep at it. Be Blessed.
By Rebecka
December 12, 2007 7:56 AM | Link to this
This is a great story. Good for her!