[724Skinsfan]

Interesting.

BUILT TO LAST ELWAY'S DURABILITY AT PERILOUS POSITION BUILT ON INTELLIGENCE, STRENGTH, COURAGE

Copyright Denver Publishing Company, Rocky Mountain News Jul 13, 1997

"Elway does not have an ACL in his left knee. He is not a medical miracle, but he has lived on the edge longer than anyone should. He completely tore the ligament while making a cut during a high school football game, although no one hit him on the play. Today, the knee would be reconstructed. But 20 years ago, it was left alone.

Where the ligament had been, calcium began to build up like a stalactite. He wears a brace to stabilize the knee. It is not the recommended procedure, but it has worked for Elway.

"What he's developed are arthritic changes that have stabilized the joint," Antonopulos said. "There's not much looseness. From the day we examined him the first time he got here to the way he is today, it's like night and day."

At some point after his career, Elway likely will need knee replacement surgery. But his knees are strong, "considering the fact that he's missing a few things in one of them," Tuten said. In the off-season, Elway was able to squat 300 pounds eight times and leg press 400 pounds. The long-ago knee injury has made him conscious of strengthing the surrounding muscles. His legs are as strong as any of the Broncos' skill position players. His leg strength has allowed him to escape all sorts of predicaments that have shortened other careers.

"It's not to say his knee doesn't get sore or his knee doesn't swell during training camp," Antonopulos said. "He needs to wear the brace to ensure stability as well. Some people have a lot more problems. One of the things is that he's developed the musculature around the joint to stabilize it even more."