And being fed by a supermodel: Gisele Bundchen's healing touch for Tom Brady

The picture of New England Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady being spoon-fed by his supermodel girlfriend, Gisele Bundchen, was jarring. Perhaps football fans don't want to think of our injured QB as a guy who is cuddled – or coddled.

But I'm all for it. Why? Because the more Tom gets touched, stroked, and babied, the healthier he'll get.

Scientists have proven, in study after study, that touching and loving heals the body. During this important off-season, while Tom is recuperating, Pats fans should be begging Gisele to feed him. To rub his feet. Whatever nonverbal acts of affection she can come up with to make him feel all better.

Sure, it's weird to see a model pet our QB like a dog, but the next time Gisele does her doting we should cheer her on. In her own way, she's helping the Pats.

Dr. Tiffany Field, who runs the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami, says touching is medicinal, and helps with diabetes, cancer, and asthma. "Hugging and massages and doing various forms of exercise stimulate pressure receptors," she says. "It slows the heart rate and blood pressure and the production of stress hormones."

Advice to partners of injured weekend warriors and professional athletes: Cuddle them, and coddle them.

Read another petting story.

Thanks to Meredith Goldstein for the source article in today’s Boston Globe.

Back at the same level: Tom Brady's hospital post-surgical infection

A few minutes before Super Bowl LXIII, and Patriots fans know that in a just world, Tom Brady should be guiding the Patriots to another Super Bowl win.

Tom, of course, suffered a season-ending injury early in the season. He had surgery on October 6 to repair his knee, with a patella tendon graft inserted to replace his torn ACL (anterior [front] cruciate ligament). His torn medial (middle) cruciate ligament (MCL) was also repaired.

Afterward, he suffered a postoperative staph infection – the most common kind of post-op infection. He was put on antibiotics, and remained on antibiotics through at least November 11. The infection was caught early, and was treated aggressively with wash-out procedures and intravenous antibiotics.

The infection has delayed the start of physical therapy to restore his range of motion, prevent the build-up of scar tissue, and protect the cartilage.

But Patriots fans can take consolation in the words of Kevin Wilk, the associate clinical director of Champion Sports Medicine in Birmingham, Alabama, who has helped more than 500 NFL players recover from ACL surgery: "He's going to make it back and play at the same level."

Advice: Bet on Tom Brady.

Read another football knee surgery story.

Thanks to Shira Springer for the source article in the Boston Globe of Nov. 11.