The New Orleans Pelicans announced Thursday that forward Anthony Davis underwent successful knee surgery Thursday and will miss 3-4 months in recovery. The team also announced that after consultation with specialists, he won't require surgery to repair a partially torn labrum.
That's the simple version.
Here's the really, really, really complex version, via the Pelicans:
“Anthony initially sustained a posterior labral tear of his left shoulder 3 years ago. He reports only mild soreness in his shoulder which occurs very infrequently after games. Anthony has not missed any playing time due to his shoulder. He denies recurrent instability, feels that his shoulder is strong, he has no apprehension and feels that he is able to perform at 100% of his capacity regarding his shoulder.
Posterior labral tears typically do not predictably cause instability in as high a percentage of players as anterior labral tears. It is possible to maintain strong shoulder function and performance without surgery in many players with a labral tear. We would recommend surgery for recurrent instability or pain that limits training, performance or playing time. Currently, Anthony is doing a good job of maintaining his shoulder without surgery and it is safe to play in his current condition. We would recommend a conservative approach for players like this. If he develops problems which affect his performance, we would repair his labrum at that point.
Alternatively, Anthony is however, experiencing pain in his left knee secondary to patellar tendinopathy and a stress reaction of his knee cap which is limiting his ability to play. This has become very symptomatic over the 2nd half of the season. He is unable to play through this pain any longer.
This morning we performed an ultrasonic debridement of the degenerative area of the patellar tendon and further treated the area with a concentrated injection of his own bone marrow which is rich in cells and proteins that can reduce pain and trigger a healing response.
Anthony will immediately start a rehab and training program for both his shoulder and knee with the expectation that he will be ready for the start of the 2016 NBA regular season.”
Source: Medical report from Dr. Neal ElAttrache, M.D. on Anthony Davis | New Orleans Pelicans.
That's a lot of info, so here's how it breaks down.
1. Davis had said at a press conference that he had been playing through a torn labrum for three years, which of course everyone freaked out over. It sounds really, really bad when a star says he's been playing through a torn labrum for multiple years. So this in large part is to explain why Davis said that, and what it means. It checks out on the surface.
2. The part about his knee is more concerning, however. Essentially, Davis was experiencing what is the precursor to a stress fracture of his kneecap. That's a really concerning situation, but at least they caught it early to begin treatment.
3. Davis has a lot of injury concerns over the past four years, and this won't do anything to quell those concerns.
