Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, January 11, 1994 TAG: 9401110124
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: BOSTON LENGTH: Medium
Nancy Kerrigan, limping slightly but optimistic after the latest examination of her bruised knee, could be skating again within a week.
Dr. Mahlon Bradley said Monday a magnetic resonance imaging test showed no damage to her right kneecap and no injury to the ligaments.
"I am very excited about the MRI results," Kerrigan said. "I am looking forward to starting my rehabilitation and my training so I can get back on the ice as soon as possible."
The 24-year-old from Stoneham, Mass., was struck with a club by an unknown assailant Thursday at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Detroit.
Forced to withdraw, Kerrigan was placed on the U.S. Olympic team Saturday night, along with first-place finisher Tonya Harding. She hopes to be ready for the Lillehammer Olympics, which begin Feb. 12.
"I can't let this stop me from living," Kerrigan, her mother supporting her right elbow, said at Logan International Airport.
Bradley works with U.S. Figure Skating Association athletes.
"We are optimistic," he said. "The swelling in the knee has stabilized, and there is an improved range of motion, although the quadriceps muscle is still weak."
Bradley will re-evaluate Kerrigan's knee later this week. He estimated she could return to the ice within a week if all goes well.
She will begin physical therapy in a pool to strengthen the knee and improve her range of motion. After that, she will have to work on a stationary bicycle.
In Detroit, investigators awaited enhancement of a videotape that they said showed the assailant waiting for Kerrigan and then fleeing after the attack.
"I wouldn't want to see this happen to anyone again," Kerrigan said. "I would definitely like to see him caught."
Asked if she would have extra security at home, she said she lives with her brother, Mark. But another brother, Michael, will take time off to stay with her.
"We just want to get home," her father, Dan, said. "It's been a hectic week."
by CNB