Kubica's Recovery

[Lindz]

that´s good news ,hopefully he will be able to get a taste of the car later this year in a FP ,this will undoubtedly spurr him on even more.

Yes, great news!

I flipped my motorbike last summer and broke my wrist and shattered my collarbone. It is no fun going through rehab and surgery.

When I could finally start to rehab my hand and begin moving my fingers what I thought was a good amount, I was given a grip strength test to show me how much work I had to do. My right hand squeezed something like 52kg. My left hand I knew would be bad. I figured something like 20kg. No. It was 8kg.

A couple of months teaching my body to move my arm up and down, rotate it, rotate my wrist, bend my wrist, move each finger, squeeze, lift, etc. It was annoying, painful, and difficult. And this was just for some broken bones... I actually CAN imagine what it's like for Robert, your mind does a very good job blocking things out. You don't remember surgery or immediately after, everything is quite foggy and distant until some progress is made. You start focusing on the positives and run from there.

I just got all my plates and pins removed and I'm back (and have been) rehabbing in karts and can ride again. I'm not afraid of riding my bike or racing karts and I'm just a normal guy, not a professional athlete. I have no doubts that Robert will race again. I hope it's sooner rather than later. And I hope he returns to F1 ASAP!

[raymondu999]

I think it would be best for him and his reputation that he take it easy at first, and if he is able to come back in time before the season ends, just drive in FPs first. I don't think anyone will be able to get 100% at first.

[Shrieker]

If he can move his fingers halfway already, I'm sure a %100 or %99 control over his muscles in the coming few months will be possible, so why just FPs ? I'm pretty sure he'll do a race weekend towards the end of the season. But if Renault are in a position to fight for standings that might come in to spoil it. Though we've seen in the past drivers coming on even stronger from bad injuries, including Robert himself after Canada '07. So who knows...

The guy has returned from the brink =D>

[pearsey13]

I reckon that if he gets in the car soon this year, there is a great possibility for him to win a race. The car seems to be great.

[raymondu999]

I'm not talking of a standings point of view, but Robert would be almost a year out of practice by then. He wouldn't be back in the groove as of yet.

[Alexgtt]

I think the FP may be possible but it's way too early to say. I think it's 100% not possible for him to race this season, although I very much hope I'm wrong.

[countersteer]

just thought I'd share this as my experience has definitely changed my thoughts on Robert's recovery. I had rotator cuff surgery a week ago Friday. It was done with a scope (four small incisions). To be honest, mine was probably the simplest least invasive shoulder surgery you could have.

I have to wear a sling with a cushion on it for 6 weeks. I do re-hab 3 times a day with the sole purpose of preventing the shoulder joint and/or elbow joint from freezing. I go to re-hab 3 days a week. The idea is to keep the joints mobile while putting zero stress on the muscle while it heals. According to the doctors, I will have 6 weeks in sling and a following 6 weeks of physical therapy. Then, and only then, can I start to "get my strength back".

I wish Robert all the best and can't wait for his return to the cockpit. But, given what I've learned during my minor surgery, and given how extensive Robert's injuries were compared to mine, I can't see any way for a return this year. I'm hoping for 100% recovery no matter how long it takes. I recognize that he's in far better physical condition than I, but he's not Superman. A return to the F1 cockpit would be a bonus.

[pearsey13]

Hmmm, just saw an interview with the renault boss, and he was saying that it would be great for him( Kubica ) to be back doing tests this year. So i now have greater doubts about him racing this year.

[PlatinumZealot]

Lucky if he can race in 2012! He'll need to do months of training in the hills before he's back.

[Mr Alcatraz]

Lucky if he can race in 2012! He'll need to do months of training in the hills before he's back.

Not only that, if they repaired tendons in his hand. (I did read that the hand was partially severed) He has to be very careful not to damage the tendons that were reconnected, if that was part of the procedure. If that is in fact the case, were looking at next season for sure. I had a tendon in my wrist that was only partially severed, and it took over 4 months untill I had full strength return, and got a doctors release.

[zgred]

[netoperek]

Today Robert got official green light for getting out of the hospital.

Great news from Pietra Ligure. Doctors from Santa Corona hospital in Pietra Ligure gave Robert Kubica permission to leave hospital. Pole`s condition is good enough that there isn`t any serious danger of infections. Longer hospitalization at this facility is not necessary. We don`t know yet how quickly Kubica will leave Italian clinic.

As a hospital spokesman, Roberto Carrozzino, said, Robert Kubica can leave Santa Corona hospital, whenever he want to. There is not set any precise date for his departure. It all depends on Robert. For doctors the most import_ant issue was to rule out any direct threat of infections after four very serious surgeries. The wounds have already been healed, now they will scar up, but this stage of treatment don`t require hospitalization.

I expect that the Lotus Renault GP driver will leave Pietra Ligure after regaining full fitness in his legs, which will allow him to walk easily. Kubica now puts his first steps with the help of rehabilitation equipment.

from http://robertscomeback.blogspot.com

Earlier on this blog, they wrote that there is ONLY one concern in terms of Robert's F1 comeback - the elbow. Everything else is diagnosed to be 100% or nearly curable.

[bot6]

Well, that's pretty good news. No major infections, considering the extent of his injuries... That's something to be happy about.

Luckily for Robert, today's F1 cars have power steering so elbow mobility is not as crucial as it was in the 70s. But it's going to take him a long time to come back, certainly not before next year as far as racing is concerned. Maybe a good way to get back on the horse would be for him to drive a GP2 car over the winter break, to get the reflexes back in a less physically taxing car and without breaking the testing ban?

[ringo]

The elbow is very important in turns i think.
An F1 driver needs to be 100% all over to compete at the top.

[speedsense]

The elbow is very important in turns i think.
An F1 driver needs to be 100% all over to compete at the top.

Elbow, not so much, wrist, shoulder would be much worse. The bend in the elbow stays about the same, unless you go over the top of the wheel and the elbow has to start to straighten. Most drivers don't position themselves to have their elbows fully extended in full turning movements or their knees for that matter..
As long as it's not weakness and just mobility of fully extended or fully retracted IMHO...