Gretzky’s Pain Is Bearable; Inactivity Isn’t : Kings: Medication provides mobility, but watching his teammates practice without him proves frustrating.

Ty Robert Gretzky needed a lift, so he held up his arms and gave his father the usual 2-year-old’s pleading look.

Wayne Gretzky looked at his son and gently shook his head, saying: “Daddy can’t pick you up, remember?�

The essence of Gretzky’s new existence was painfully obvious at that moment in the Forum corridor Tuesday afternoon. While his King teammates were practicing, Gretzky was talking about all the things he can’t do these days.

He can’t lean forward without pain. And he can’t pick up any of his three young children, not even 2-week-old Trevor Douglas.

Gretzky, 31, has a herniated thoracic disk, an extremely rare injury. The pain in the midsection of the back behind the ribs has sidelined Gretzky indefinitely.

“You know what, there’s probably so many ways to get at this (injury),� Gretzky said. “And so many methods. I’ve totally left myself in the hands of Dr. (Robert) Watkins. Six different doctors and there would be six different methods. If (Watkins) thinks I need a chiropractor, fine. If he thinks I need acupuncture, fine. I’m totally in his hands.�

Many other famous athletes have chosen Watkins, a widely known back specialist. Most recently, Watkins performed surgery on the Dodgers’ Darryl Strawberry.

Watkins will not comment on Gretzky’s case, according to the Kings.

Jean-Jacques Abitbol, a spine specialist at UC San Diego and a consultant to Gretzky’s doctors, was quoted in a national newspaper last week as saying: “There’s no crystal ball. But with the non-surgery approach to treating, he could be out at least three or four months. That puts you into January.�

Tuesday, Gretzky said that he will receive cortisone shots once a week for the next three weeks. He will receive an update after another examination and a meeting with Watkins on Thursday.

Watching his teammates practice was difficult, Gretzky said. He joked that he felt like a “squatter� and asked about the progress of certain King players.

“Yeah, it’s hard,� he said. “It’s frustrating. Obviously, I’d like to play. The weird thing is that it’s different than when you’ve hurt your knee or shoulder.

“This thing here--medication has made it so it’s not unbearable. I can walk around.

“It’s funny, I was telling my wife (Janet Jones) that you get to this level (of bearable pain) and you say, ‘I’ll play tomorrow.’ But I’m not going to play tomorrow.�

Gretzky has always taken an active interest in his business affairs and expects to devote even more time to them.

“I’ve got to keep 100% busy,� he said. “Later, it will be really tough. I’ll have my workout schedule and rehab.

“If I lie around, I’ll be in trouble.�

Said Coach Barry Melrose: “It’s hard. The longer he goes without playing, the harder it’s going to get, being away from the game. But it might be good for him. He might rekindle his love (for the game). And when he is ready to play, he’ll really be fired up about the game again.�

Hockey has been Gretzky’s life since he learned to skate when he was 2 in Brantford, Ontario. Four years later, Gretzky started organized hockey and has spent every fall except one since then preparing for the next season. At 14, he sat out for a couple of months because of a legal battle over his eligibility.

This is different.

“I was in the hospital for the first week,� he said. “Now, they say I can do whatever I want to do . . . “

Gretzky smiled, ruefully. He didn’t even have to finish the sentence.

King Notes

The release of left wing Jay Miller on Tuesday wasn’t a surprise. Miller, 32, has spent 3 1/2 seasons with the Kings in an enforcer role, scoring 51 points during that span. “We felt the kids on our team have come so far,� Kings Coach Barry Melrose said. “And the way the game is going with the new rules (regarding fighting), Jay wasn’t going to get enough ice time. He wasn’t going to be happy with his role, in and out of the lineup. We just felt it was better for all of us.� Melrose said that sending Miller to the team’s farm club in Phoenix was not an option. “We want a bunch of our kids playing in Phoenix,� he said. “It’s not much good to us in developing kids if a guy 33 years old is playing ahead of our kids.�

Miller, who was acquired from the Boston Bruins in 1989, was to make $310,000 this season and $330,000 next season, the option year of his contract. An expensive release? “Well, it is,� Melrose said. “Again, I’m a hockey person. Not a money person. Nick (Beverley) and Roy (Mlakar) have to talk about those things. I have to do what I feel is best for the hockey club. They’ve been very good to me, letting me make those hockey decisions.� Miller was unavailable for comment.