Orthopedic Surgeon Addresses Kevin Durant’s Timeline To Return

Warriors star suffered a ruptured Achilles. He returned in Game 5 of the NBA Finals after a one-month recovery. Durant played just 12 minutes and scored 11 points. He was of great help for the offense, but it didn’t last for too long. Durant landed badly and ruptured his right Achilles. The two-time Finals MVP took to his Instagram account to confirm his injury and provide an update on his surgery. The Warriors will soon confirm the injury and the timetable of Durant’s recovery process.

How long will it take before Durant returns to the floor? Twin Cities Orthopedics’ Dr. Jeffrey Seybold specializes in foot and ankle reconstruction trauma, and he talked about Durant’s injury.

How long does the rehab process take? What is the typical timeframe for an athlete to “return to full strength” from this injury?

Dr. Seybold: The rehabilitation process following an Achilles tendon rupture can take up to one year to regain maximum push-off power, strength and range of motion of the ankle.  At this point, any continued deficits in strength compared to the uninjured side (can be up to 25-30%) are likely permanent. While there have been some examples of athletes returning to competitive play without substantial deficits in function before one year post-injury, this is generally the exception rather than the rule.

Would an existing calf strain contribute to an Achilles tear?  

Dr. Seybold: While a preexisting calf injury or muscle strain does not necessarily imply the Achilles is unhealthy or injured, the injured muscle may lose some elasticity as it is healing. This in turn places more strain, or stretch, on the Achilles with push-off activities. As with any tendon, once the Achilles has been placed through enough stretch beyond its normal length, partial or complete tearing will occur.

What is the likelihood of a recurrence after this type of injury? 

Dr. Seybold: Fortunately, once an athlete has sustained an Achilles rupture and undergone surgical repair, the risk of a recurrent rupture is very low. The time of highest risk for a recurrent tear is within the first few weeks following surgical repair while the tendon is still remodeling and healing.