VOA常速英语2013--医学进步使跑步者脊髓损伤后重返跑道（在线收听）

Medical Advances Keep Runner on Track after Spinal Injury 医学进步使跑步者脊髓损伤后重返跑道

SCHAUMBURG, ILLINOIS — The National Institutes of Health says roughly 40 million people in the United States suffer from, or are at high risk for, osteoporosis, a condition that decreases bone mass and often results in fractures in the spine, hips, and wrists.  While older women are more likely to develop the disease, it was a surprise to one man in the Chicago suburbs who had built a life on running and was at risk of being sidelined after his diagnosis.

Jon Macnider, or “Mac” to his friends, has been running since 1968.

乔恩·麦克尼德尔,朋友们都叫他“麦克”，自1968年以来一直跑步。

“Running is what keeps me sane, keeps me healthy and happy, and it's what I enjoy doing," he said.

“跑步使我理智、让我健康快乐,这是我喜欢做的事情,”他说道。

"It's something to start the day with.”

“新的一天始于足下。”

What began as a hobby for Macnider turned into a career, first as a marathon runner, then teaching physical education at a suburban Chicago high school where he also coached a women's running team.

而他的爱好也变成了职业,从起初的一名马拉松运动员,到在芝加哥市郊的一所高中从事体育教育,他在这里出任一支女子田径队的教练。

“It's been rewarding.

“这很有意义。

Actually, my coaching career has been much more rewarding than my running career,” he stated.

其实,我的教练生涯比我的跑步事业更有意义,”他表示。

But during Macnider's last year as coach, he ran right into a problem.

但在麦克尼德尔身为教练的去年,他摊上了一件大事。

“We were on an eight-mile run, and I turned over my shoulder to encourage some girls to keep up, and it felt like someone shot me in the back,” he explained.

“当时我们正在进行8英里跑,我用自己的肩膀转身去励一些女孩子坚持下去，突然感觉就像是有人开枪射中我后背。”他解释道。

A visit to the doctor revealed it was not a gunshot, but a spinal injury caused by an unusual case of osteoporosis, or a thinning of Macnider's bones.

医生看过后称这理所当然不是枪击,而是骨质疏松症特殊情况引起的脊髓损伤,或者是麦克尼德尔的骨头变得稀松。

“I had a compression fracture of my T-7 vertebrae,” he said.

“我的T7椎体压缩骨折。”他说道。

Macnider feared the injury meant the end of his running career.

麦克尼德尔担心伤病会结束自己的跑步职业生涯。

“We were the number one-ranked team in the state," he noted.

“我们是这个州第一名的队伍，”他说道。

"And my dream was to go out running with my girls and it wasn't going to happen.”

“我的梦想是和我的女孩们去跑步,这看来不能实现了。”

Orthopedic spine surgeon Thomas McNally said in the past this might have sidelined Macnider.

骨科脊柱外科医生托马斯·麦克纳利表示在过去这可能会让麦克尼德尔的梦想破灭。

“What they would have done is treated him with brace treatment and medications, and it would have taken him a longer time to get back to his activity level,” he said.

“传统上会对他进行支具和药物治疗,这会使他花费更长时间才能重返运动状态,”他说道。

But Dr. McNally had a different approach, suggesting Macnider undergo balloon kyphoplasty.

但麦克纳利博士则实施了一种截然不同的方法,他建议麦克尼德尔接受球囊扩张后凸成形术。

It inserts a balloon into the spine near the site of the fracture.

手术的原理是插入一个球囊到脊柱骨折的所在附近。

“You blow up the balloon, it makes a hole in the vertebral body, and then we fill with bone cement.

“你把球囊吹大,它就在椎体处形成一个洞,然后我们填入骨接合剂。

It acts like an internal cast,” he added.

它就像一次内部铸造。”他补充道。

That internal cast has put the stride back in Macnider's step.

而这次内部铸造将大幅加快麦克尼德尔恢复的节奏。

“Had the surgery on a Friday, walked out of the hospital and told my wife it's fixed.

“在星期五做的手术,走出医院,告诉我妻子已经固定好了。

I started running again on Monday,” he recalled.

我重返跑道是在周一。”他回忆道。

Now, three years beyond the procedure, Macnider is preparing to do what he has done so well in the past, cross the marathon finish line one more time.

现在手术后已经过了3年, 麦克尼德尔正准备进行在过去所做的, 更多的时间穿过终点。

“That's the goal. I've been taught to set goals.

“这就是目标。我一直在学习如何设定目标。

That's something I want to do, get to run a marathon with my kids," he said.

这是我想做的, 和我的孩子们跑马拉松。”他说道。

He hopes to complete that goal next year before he reaches another milestone… his 60th birthday.

他希望明年在自己达到一个新的里程碑…他的60岁生日之前完成这一目标。