Recent KIM (Injury)

Some news about Kim so far.

Kim`s transfer issue is still in chaotic situation in Korea, but it is not to pessimistic.

Due to the good result from the Olympics, many media are supporting on her side and she became a popular star domestically through London Olympics.

Previously, volleyball being not popular in Korea, only few knew about her in spite of her tremendous achievements, but now Kim is so busy star in Korea also.

She is going through many news interviews, popular TV programs, and doing so many activities to promote women`s volleyball in Korea.

Kim throwing the first ball in Pro Baseball (No.1 pro sports in Korea)

About her transfer issue, as all of you know Kim has already signed 2 year contract with Fenerbahce.

Kim said that the Russian club(seems to be Dinamo Moscow) offered her with better condition, but she wanted to stay in familiar club.

Still, KVA is revealing such a theoretical attitude, that KVA will work hard for both Kim and Heungkuk to benefit.

However, as many Koreans noticed this issue and many are willing to help her situation, the situation seems far better than before.

Still far way to go, though.

BAD News.

Kim got a serious injury on her right knee.

She had serious pain after the game versus Brazil, and she took MRI, told her meniscus(knee cartilage) was torn.

However, she pushed ahead to further matches, with her knee taped.

Moreover, in the qurterfinal vs Italy, she failed to land properly, worsening her knee problem.

She endured the pain throughout the tournament, being MVP and the best scorer, making Korean team to achieve 4th place in the Olympics, 36 years after Korean women`s volleyball recently achieved.

No words to say.

It is her fourth knee surgery during her 7-year pro career.

She has always been overused in her natinoal team and club.

2006 Right knee - Removing fragments of bone

2007 Left knee - Torn Cartilage

2008 Right knee - Torn Cartilage

2012 Right knee - Torn Cartilage (Meniscus)

Although she is told that it is so serious situation by a doctor, she is hesitating to get a surgery immediately.

It takes 4 - 8 weeks to rehabilitate and thus she is concerned about her next season in club.

She is willing to take surgery in May next year, after the Turkish League ends.

(She said the Turkish League Champion and MVP are her goal this season.)

However, the doctor is insisting on the immediate surgery.

Without knowing anything about her, KVA asked her to participate in Asian Volleyball Federation Cup held in September.

What a sucking behavior of KVA, not even letting Kim ITC and only asking her to play for NT

She says she is going to decide in 2 or 3 days whether she will take surgery immediately.

Many are concerned of her knee condition and her career.

She said playing until 30 is really big hope, because her body is quite seriously injured now.

I hope she gets the surgery immediately and recover soon.

Quote from Bruna.

What is the expected recovery time?

Will she be able to play this season for Fenerbahce?Anyway, even if she lose this season for Fener, she should do the surgery immediately.

4 - 8 weeks said by her doctor, but she herself says it`s not so serious problem.

She says that torn cartilage is so common injury that many players carry during the season, and there`s no problem even if she plays this season with injury.

Believe or not

At the same time, she is saying that she is suffering with the knee pain that it is hard for her to sit on the chair for a long time with legs bent.

Although there seems to be no any problem for her to walk, drive etc, chronic pain seems to exist.

Indeed, because she is ambitious about upcoming season, I think she will somehow play for Fener this year.

However only if all her transfer issues are solved.

Quote from brahmin

Without YK Kim, South Korea doesn't get to the Olympics, period.

It is very common in sports for players to push through pain, but when you have pain in your knees in a jumping sport, you probably should stop and get it looked at.

4th knee problem in pro career already. That is not good. I know from watching a NBA team that drafted a center, Greg Oden, who had to have 4 knee surgeries by the age of 24. In a total of 4 seasons, he played a total of 1 (82 games out of 328). The potential was there, but the body was not willing.

YK Kim needs to tell the national team coach/federation. I am not playing in any tournament/match/practice until it is 100%. I cannot play in every small tournament. World GP, World Champs (Qualifiers included), Olympics.

If the federation does not respect that, then she's going to be retiring way before 30.

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Maybe all that matters is not the approval of the federation, but decision of Kim.

Even if I have been watching her from her 2009-10 season, it`s quite hard to understand Kim sometimes, in a manner of "pro" sports player.

She has the right to reject the call from NT, but she never does it.

The reason might be somethings like patriotism or kinda responsibility.

Although they might be seem such old-fashioned conceptions for the pro athlete to have, she really think those as important values.

Unlike her, most of pro clubs in Korean league don`t want to let their players to the international competition because they think it only results in the injury and thus, bad result after the club season.
They never expect the good result from the Korean NT also.

Kim is a real patriot and she came back anytime if the NT wanted her, regardless of any horrible squad.

Watching from the fan`s viewpoint, her interviews mentioning that it(sacrificing for NT in bad condition) was solely her choice and she only does her best as she is on the court, are respectable but sometimes so frustrating.

Also, at this point, Kim should do a maximum that the federation wants her, to get ITC somehow, so it`s quite complex situation.

At first, I understood that the agency is making the press release about her injury and surgery to reveal that Kim is "unable" to play for NT and it`s not her intention.

But as Kim wants to delay the surgery to next May, I cannot read her mind.

Anyway, I really don`t want to see her in the AVC struggling among the bad squad made by uncooperative clubs.