30
session, somewhat sooner in fair-complected, light-haired players.
These symptoms usually disappear within 72 hours after the last
treatment session. I should also state that these effects were wel-
comed by many of the players to get them back to play sooner.
The benefits: 70 to 80 percent received good to excellent results
by reduction of swelling and pain, and consequently, quicker reha-
bilitation time from that particular injury. These benefits were
noticed by the athletes by comparing their own previous injury
experience and the experience of others with similar types of inju-
ries.
The conclusion: DMSO, at 70 percent concentration, is an excel-
lent drug which seems to significantly shorten the rehabilitation
time for sports injuries to soft tissue or joint defusions. It would
definitely make a significant contribution to assist those of us in
the field of sports medicine, private practice, and industrial medi-
cine.
It seems to me that one of our major objectives is to get people
back to their activities quickly. So the primary significance in the
use of DMSO may not be just in the relief of pain but in the ability
to rehabilitate that person more quickly. Therefore, it might in
essence save us millions of dollars as a nation by rehabilitating the
industrial-injured patient and getting them back to work.
I should quickly state that one of our questions is what are the
alternatives to this particular method. As was indicated last night
on "60 Minutes," one of the treatment courses for bursitis or acute
shoulder pain is injections with particular cortisone techniques or
cortisone substances. This has now been reputed in much of the
medical literature because it is considered to be not effective on an
ongoing basis because it may reduce the tensile strength of the
muscle or tendon on which it is being injected. So it is not a good
alternative.
We are always concerned about invasive versus noninvasive pro-
cedures. DMSO fits into the noninvasive character. I would like to
see the drug utilized as a second or third course of action after
other things had been utilized because it in fact may be the very
best initial drug. I would hope that would not be the form of
recommendation if in fact cleared to be utilized.
In closing, I would say that we are not interested in just pain
relief. In professional football and sports injuries we are interested
in rehabilitation time. If in fact we can reduce pain, reduce swell-
ing, and more quickly rehabilitate that player or person back to his
activity, we can significantly decrease the loss of playing time, the
loss of work time, and increase the quality of life such as in the
patients demonstrated last night on "60 Minutes."
Thank you.
The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Dr. Reedy, for your valuable state-
ment.
We will next hear from Mr. June Jones, quarterback on the
Atlanta Falcons professional football team.
STATEMENT OF JUNE JONES III, QUARTERBACK, ATLANTA
FALCONS
Mr. JONES. Thank you, Mr. Pepper.
