Sunday, May 26, 2013
Ben Spies to Miss Jerez for Injury Rehab
An Ignite Pramac Ducati team press release states Spies’ medical staff have since “advised him three consecutive weeks of intense rehab in order to alleviate the strain in his pectorals and back muscles.”
Spies experienced problems with his chest during the morning warm-up for the CoTA race. The former AMA & World SBK champion continued to feel pain during the race, going on to finish a disappointing 13th at his home GP, behind CRT rider Aleix Espargaro and Tech 3 Yamaha rookie Bradley Smith.
“I had a little problem with a nerve in my chest for some reason. I don’t know if it’s from overcompensating for my shoulder problem, which is actually getting a lot better compared to Qatar,” explained Spies in a post-race team press release. “That said, two laps before the end of the warm-up, I had a twinge in my chest. It was like a knife, so we went to the clinic and they worked on me a lot and got me ready for the race. I tried as hard as I could during the race, but it wasn’t enough.”
Spies shoulder problem stems from a 2012 crash, when the then-Factory Yamaha rider went down at Sepang. He underwent shoulder surgery in late October 2012, which sourced cadaver tissue to reconstruct damaged ligaments. His shoulder recovery has been mentioned throughout the 2013 pre-season and opening round at Qatar.
“Despite the constant improvement in the condition of his shoulder after recent surgery,” states the Pramac release, “Ben still needs further intense work to build up his muscle, and to acquire the necessary strength which will enable him to endure the stress during the race. Therefore the therapy will be different to what he has done so far, focused on limb mobility, thanks to his better physical condition.”
