Lemieux, Plasko go 'back' to the future

It's only fitting that massage therapist Tom Plasko looks like the most intimidating security guard you've ever seen. He is responsible for the safekeeping of one of Pittsburgh's most delicate possessions: Mario Lemieux's back.

Do you remember what Lemieux went through in his first 10 NHL seasons• It's incredible, actually, that he was able to play that many and two more in his first go-round.

He endured spinal stenosis (a narrowing of the spinal canal) and spondylolysis (small stress fractures in the vertebrae). He withstood arthritis and a herniated disk.

You might recall the surgery on that herniated disk in the summer of 1990 and the ensuing infection that caused Lemieux to miss the first 50 games of the 1990-91 season. You might remember him having more back surgery in the summer of 1993.

Who could forget the stories of Lemieux being in so much pain that he couldn't bend down to lace his skates• Other people sometimes did it for him. His teammates would hear him groan as he pulled his jersey over his head.

In his first 10 seasons, Lemieux missed 143 games as a direct result of back injuries. That fact, combined with the ravages of Hodgkin's disease, compelled him to sit out the 1994-95 season.

During his time off, Lemieux took the advice of teammate Rick Tocchet and turned to Plasko, an Ambridge native who took one look at Lemieux's physical condition and knew this would be no short-term fix.

'The first time I saw him, he had very limited flexibility, very limited range of motion,' Plasko said. 'Definitely problematic.'

Plasko's mission was to locate trigger points, or tension spots, throughout Lemieux's body and release the tension. Like a rolling pin on cookie dough, Plasko used his strong hands to stretch Lemieux's muscles.

'We had to lengthen the muscles,' Plasko recalls. 'That's what we had to do with his entire body. We had to kind of like mold him. We had to strengthen him in every way possible.'

That doesn't sound enjoyable for the patient - it's actually quite uncomfortable - but it sure beats not being able to tie your skates because your back's cut in-half.

Lemieux knew from the first time Plasko dug in that he'd found an answer to his chronic problems.

'He's very good at what he does,' Lemieux said. 'He's very strong. He can get much deeper than other people can.'

Plasko's work was a big reason why Lemieux was able to play 70 and 76 games in his final two seasons before retirement. He won the scoring title both years, missing only four games because of back injuries.

There's a reason Plasko earned the nickname 'Guru.'

'He knows exactly what's wrong with my back and how to fix it when it's bad,' Lemieux said. 'Especially my lower back, he knows if it's off balance a little bit. He's able to work the right muscles and take the tension off.

That's why it's been a winning combination.'

After Lemieux retired in 1997, he and Plasko saw each other much less. But when Lemieux decided to try a comeback, he knew who to call. He asked Plasko to work with him daily.

Plasko didn't need to think about it. He'll be part of the Penguins' traveling party as long as Lemieux sticks around.

'When the big guy asks if you can help, well, I'm not going to say no,' said Plasko, who also designed a workout program for Lemieux's upper body.

Lemieux said at the news conference announcing his comeback that his back would 'always be an issue.' That's true, but it's less of an issue now, and Plasko is the man to thank.

'His whole key is keeping his back healthy,' Plasko said. 'And his back is as healthy as can be right now.'

Joe Starkey covers the Penguins for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.