Basketball's Trevor Farrow Battles Back from Spinal Condition

Last time we left off, the athletic Trevor Farrow of learned he had a spine condition that . Now for part two of that story:

A Time to Heal

Farrow’s parents, Mark and Julie, took Trevor to two more back specialists seeking some positive solutions, but the doctors basically said the same thing—quit playing sports. But the diagnosis for his back pain was never made clear.

Finally, in what might have been his last chance, the Farrows went to see Dr. Robert S. Bray Jr., a preeminent neurological spine surgeon and the CEO and founding director of D.I.S.C. Sports and Spine Center, one of the country’s leading facilities specializing in spine, orthopedics and sports medicine. D.I.S.C recently helped actress Jennifer Grey overcome years of back pain to win Dancing With The Stars.

Farrow was diagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis, a condition that affects the lower part of the spine column where the spinal cord, nerve roots and vertebrae are found. Stenosis is defined as the constricting or narrowing of the spinal canal. Most times it is inherited as a result of abnormal bone and/or tissue growth.

By this time, Farrow had just about completed his sophomore year. He had undergone one surgery, three cortisone shots and eight micro procedures.

“I thought I would live a sad life in pain and have to make the most of it,” Farrow said. “What kept me going was my faith in God to get me back on the court, and he eventually did through Dr. Bray. I just wish I would have found him sooner.”

Moving Forward

In the meantime, Farrow began channeling his energies away from sports and toward academics. He raised his GPA from 3.0 his freshman year to above 4.0 after his junior year. He now has a cumulative GPA of 3.95.

Farrow also became an avid student of the game of basketball, his favorite sport. He began studying the game intently, focusing on what players were doing and, more important, what they weren’t doing to make themselves and the team better.

But what he was really doing was mentally preparing himself for a comeback.

“I definitely have the perspective of a coach,” Farrow said. “I would be a natural. I see things in the game. (Coach Brian) Mulligan says I’m one of the smartest players on the team because I know the game inside and out. I’m basketball savvy. I know how to say what I see without coming off as a smartass.”

It’s easy to spot Farrow even when No. 13 isn’t on the court. He’s the guy in the chair closest to the coaching staff, watching intently and cheering on his teammates.

“If I was playing a 3-on-3 game down at Capo Beach, Trevor would be the first one I’d pick out of all my players, because he knows the game and he cares about little things,” said Mulligan, in his 16^th season as the Cougars head coach. “Trevor is so insightful on the bench. I don’t know if he gets that from (the coaches) or he’s naturally that way, because he can talk to adults quite easily. He has a very, very mature perspective even before he got hurt but way more so since he’s been hurt.”

Farrow did not play any sport as a junior, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t active. He began a rehabilitation process that included water workouts under the supervision of workout guru Marv Marinovich, the father of former Capistrano Valley quarterback Todd Marinovich, who went on the play for USC and the Los Angeles Raiders.

“Marv trained me and helped me build my core in the water, because in water there is no back pain,” Farrow said. “So I spent a lot of my time in the pool. It’s hard to keep your weight down when you can’t run. I’m actually a pretty good swimmer.”

Check back with Patch tomorrow for part 3 of the story of Trevor Farrow's recovery.