By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
Hedy Liu rides the stationary bike at practice while
student trainer Haruko Nakayama, left, and assistant trainer
Tara Humpreys monitor her progress.
Liu rebounds from
second knee injury
A grueling rehab program
By Al Chase
could have the Rainbows' power forward
back on court by January
Star-BulletinThe best Christmas present Santa can bring Hedy Liu is medical clearance to rejoin her University of Hawaii women's basketball teammates come January. The sophomore power forward suffered her second knee injury early in September, tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee during a pickup game in Gym II.
"I went up for a rebound and landed on the foot of a teammate,'' Liu said.
She knew right away what had happened.
"It felt exactly the same as my left leg," she said. "I knew it was torn and I was hoping it wasn't at the same time. I was excited for this season."
Liu suffered the same injury in her left knee during the third game of her freshman season against then-No. 1 Connecticut in the championship game of the Aloha Maid Wahine Classic.
That injury also occurred when she was rebounding and landed awkwardly.
It was first thought she might be lost for the 1997-98 season. Now it doesn't look that way.
After surgery Sept. 13, Liu came home the next day with an immobilizer brace, but able to do only leg raises. Four days later, the brace was changed to allow Liu to bend the knee, although that turned out to be premature.
She was eventually cleared for aerobic work.
The daily regimen lasts as long as her teammates practice each day, with breaks between each stop.
First there is work on the stairmaster before practice. Then it's on to a stationary bike, where Liu is monitored by a trainer for 30 minutes of pedaling, alternating between low and high intensity as the resistance is repeatedly changed on the bike.
Next there are step-ups, which consist of three sets of 30 repetitions each. That's followed by another 30 minutes on a bike in the training room.
The first prognosis was for Liu to be out a minimum of four months and possibly for the season. But four months sounded a lot better and became her goal to complete rehabilitation.
Progress has been good, according to Liu.
"It's coming along a lot faster than my left one did," she said. "The procedure was different this time. The graft was from the hamstring, not the patella, as before. There is less pain and I know what to expect."
The negative aspect is that the 5-foot-11 rebounding force is not practicing for the upcoming season, which opens Nov. 21 with the Aloha Classic.
"I get frustrated. I feel like I've been watching (practice) forever," said the University High School graduate. "When I get like that, I just try to compare now with my first reconstruction and that eases me up a little."
Liu's first ACL resulted in a medical hardship and a redshirt her freshman year. She played in 25 games during the 1996-97 season as a reserve forward, averaging 1.2 points and 1.3 rebounds per game.
"She's our best vertical jumper, very strong, and intimidates with her strength and rebounding," UH head coach Vince Goo said.
The next step in Liu's rehabilitation program is getting approval to start running again.
"I'm really anxious to do that," she said yesterday.
Last night she got her wish during a checkup with UH team doctor Darryl Kan.
"He's letting me jog now and that's good," an elated Liu said. "It looks like I'll be back in January."
1997-98 Wahine Basketball
Schedule and Recordhttp://uhathletics.hawaii.edu
