Shoulder injuries plague Warriors football team

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

It started with scooters. Then it was heelies. Now the latest sports rage — at least on the University of Hawai'i football team — is ... shoulder injuries?

Seven defensive starters, including both safeties, have shoulder injuries.

Starting quarterback Nick Rolovich has an undisclosed injury to his left shoulder. Backup quarterback Jared Flint still has not fully recovered from shoulder surgery in August of last year, and defensive tackle Lui Fuga, who had offseason surgery on both shoulders, has not played a down this season.

"I've never seen so many shoulder injuries," UH coach June Jones said.

Said assistant coach Vantz Singletary: "It's like a bug."

Strong safety Jacob Espiau wears a harness to stabilize his injured right shoulder. During last week's game, free safety Nate Jackson was treated four times after complaining that a shoulder joint "popped out."

Dr. Andrew Nichols, the team physician, said he has not seen any statistics that indicate there are more shoulder injuries than in previous seasons.

"They play a very high-trauma sport," Nichols said. "Certainly, their shoulders are very much at risk, especially playing linebacker or on the defensive line. They reach out making the arm tackles. That's often the mechanism for shoulder injuries."

Nichols said the most common shoulder injuries are subluxations (in which the joint pops out and then goes back in) and dislocations (in which special manipulation is needed to correct a joint that pops out).

Nichols said medical procedures have improved greatly during the past 10 years, and now surgery can fully restore the shoulder's range of motion. But because the recovery period is between three and six months, and the success rate does not diminish by delaying surgery, many athletes opt to play through the pain.

Defensive tackles Mike Iosua and Lance Samuseva have decided to postpone surgery until the offseason.

"It's sore," Iosua said of his sprained right shoulder, "but it's my last year and I want to finish up. I only have two games left."

Iosua said he receives massage therapy after every practice.

Middle linebacker Chris Brown, who aggravated a shoulder injury he suffered in high school, said he tries to ignore the pain.

"I just keep playing," he said.

Jones said the Warriors are not practicing any differently than they did in the past. He said he tries to limit full-contact drills to prevent injuries.

But, Jones said, "things happen. Some years, it's ankle or knee injuries. This year, it's shoulders."

Said defensive coordinator Kevin Lempa: "I wish I knew why we're having so many shoulder injuries. Maybe it's just a freak thing."