STAYING SHARP FOR ACTION – ISSUE NO. 225

Fall is definitely in the air. The nights are getting cooler, leaves are changing color, the cider mills are busy and we are already going into the 5th week of football. While I was watching the Detroit Lions play the Chicago Bears this past Sunday, the one thing I notice every year is that after the first couple of games of the season the injury report for each team gets longer as the season goes on. It seems as soon as one guy comes back to play two more starters get injured. Most recently the Lions lost one of their starting wide receivers after a car accident that resulted with him breaking his arm. The reports say he was trying to save his pizza from sliding off the seat as he drove into a median on the freeway. Anyone that is a Lions fan knows that is the luck the Lions have had for the past 60 years or so. Nevertheless the Lions are 3-1 and in first place (I mention this now because I'm not sure I'll ever see the Lions in first place again). No matter how long a player is out with an injury, they are tested before they come back and play. Whether it is specific running or strength skills to simulate that recovering body part for game action, it must pass the test in order to get back in the lineup. Surgical instruments are a lot like football players in the sense that they begin to wear and tear over time of repeated use. Simple and easy tests can help identify if the instrument will require maintenance or is ready for use. It is important that you use these tests to be sure instruments remain sharp and ready for action (just like my Lions - hah!).