PREP TRACK: `QUITE REMARKABLE' : PALMDALE'S BLAIR WHIPS LEG INJURY.

Byline: Kirby Lee Special to the Daily News

The prognosis for Danielle Blair was bleak.

The Palmdale High senior discus thrower probably would never compete in sports again. She had undergone surgery after her leg bones began detaching from her hips. She was only 11 years old.

Riding a bike was doubtful. Permanent disability, arthritis and loss of her hip joint also were possible. There were no guarantees.

Blair, however, did not let the diagnosis stop her from competing in track, volleyball and baskeball at Palmdale the last four years.

The truth is Blair was unaware of the potential complications. Her family kept them from hindering her rehabilitation. Three days ago, Blair read the doctor's report for the first time.

``I did not want to place any limitations on her,'' Blair's mother Jackie said. ``I wanted her to rehabilitate at her own pace. As far as sports, I did not want her to be fragile and afraid.''

In hindsight, Blair is grateful the information was withheld.

``If I dwelt on it, I would have quit,'' Blair said.

Four-inch scars on her thighs and a slight limp are the only reminders of her harrowing seventh-grade year when she went underwent two separate surgeries for acute capital slipped femoral epiphysis of her right and left hips.

The ordeal began when Blair aggravated her right hip while playing basketball during a physical education class. She ignored the soreness for the next week until the discomfort became too great for her to walk.

Blair was admitted to the hospital on an emergency basis. There, doctors discovered a 25 percent detachment of her femur from her hip joint and recommended immediate surgery.

Following surgery, Blair was confined to bed for two weeks and crutches for four additional months. About a month after Blair resumed walking, she suffered the same injury in her opposite leg after tripping in a hole.

``It was really scary after being on crutches for so long,'' Blair said. ``I did not think it could happen again. The second time I just wanted to get the surgery over with.''

Her brother Reggie, 22, a Littlerock High graduate who is attending Wayne State on a football scholarship, helped his sister through rehabilitation. At first, the siblings shot baskets together and eventually played games of one-and-one.

``He did not take it easy on her,'' Danielle's mother recalled. ``I was afraid to watch because I did not want to see her fall.''

Blair has not slowed down since. As a freshman, Blair went out for volleyball, basketball and track.

As a junior last season, Blair captured the Golden League discus title. This year, she has thrown 128-7. Her efforts have attracted scholarship interest from Nevada Reno and Kansas Wesleyan.

Palmdale coach Steve Wilson said Blair has made great strides since her freshman days as an 89-foot thrower. He attributes her breakthroughs to improved hip flexibility to allow her to widen her stance in the ring.

``She had nice, long arms for the discus but walked with short steps and had almost no flexibility,'' Wilson said. ``Most of the timing and strength comes from the legs. That was a pretty big obstacle to overcome. It has been quite remarkable.''

Doctors are similarly impressed. They had planned to remove the pins once her condition stabilized but have decided to leave them in place because Blair is experiencing no discomfort. Blair no longer needs to schedule appointments to have her hips examined as well.

``I feel great,'' Blair said. ``I never thought of myself as handicapped at all. I forget I even had surgery. If I put my mind to it, I can do sports or whatever I want to.''

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PHOTO Palmdale discus thrower Danielle Blair has overcome childhood hip surgery.

Evan Yee/Daily News