Iglesias cleared for rehab work on lower body

DETROIT -- Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias, whose 2014 season ended in Spring Training when stress fractures were discovered in both legs, received a major go-ahead towards being ready for 2015 when he was cleared for lower-body rehabilitation and conditioning exercises on Tuesday.

Iglesias received the go-ahead from Dr. Thomas Clanton during a follow-up exam at the Steadman Clinic in Colorado on Tuesday, six months following his initial diagnosis. An MRI, CT scan and other exams showed sufficient bone healing in both legs, so that he could increase his workouts and put more weight on the legs.

"This was the best possible news we were looking at," Tigers head athletic trainer Kevin Rand said. "As far as Dr. Clanton is concerned, it appears the bone [in each leg] has healed, and it's now time to put stress back on it and see how the bone responds."

Iglesias continues to follow a program to strengthen his bones through medication and diet. The goal is to get Iglesias to a point where he can have a normal offseason workout program and be ready for full activity when Spring Training begins in February.

"Generally, he would start his normal offseason conditioning program at the beginning of November," Rand said. "So we have from now until the beginning of November to put him in a position to hopefully be able to do that."

That involves strengthening muscles and biomechanics. More than that, though, it involves seeing how Iglesias' legs respond to weight bearing.

Iglesias has had limited lower-body work for the past few weeks, but mainly in the pool, keeping weight off his legs. He has been working out near his home in Miami, Fla., rather than at the Spring Training facility in Lakeland, so that he can work out without the pressure of pushing himself too soon.