Latest news with #Achilles'
New York Post
03-06-2025
- Business
- New York Post
How the rebuilding Nets can try to emulate the Finals-bound Thunder and Pacers
Sean Marks built the Nets around Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving back in 2019, and added James Harden to a superteam a year later. But now as the general manager gears up for another rebuild, the superteam is dead, killed by the new collective bargaining agreement and its punitive second apron. And buried by the participants in this year's NBA Finals. Watching the Pacers and Thunder ride depth and balance through the playoffs — and other star-laden teams get their Achilles' heels exposed along the way — was educational. It taught the fans what Marks and other league executives already knew.
Boston Globe
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
‘A really significant injury:' Jayson Tatum ruptured his Achilles' tendon. Doctors weigh in on what's next.
Related : The six-time All-Star is expected to make a 'full recovery,' the team said. But for an injury that is one of the most serious in professional sports, it's not clear what that could look like. 'Unfortunately, this is the most serious tendon that can be injured in the ankle and foot region, said Dr. Kurt Hofmann, an orthopedic surgeon at New England Baptist Hospital in Mission Hill. 'It's really a significant injury to sustain.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up With the Celtics down seven points in the fourth quarter, Tatum was pursuing a loose ball when he crumbled to the floor, writhing in pain and clutching at his right leg. He avoided putting any weight on it as training staff helped him off the court. He was later shown on the ESPN broadcast in a wheelchair with his face in his hands. Advertisement 'The fact that he had to be carried off, he's the type of guy that gets right up,' Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said after the game. '[This time,] he didn't.' Achilles' tendons, which connect the heel bone to the calf muscle, are the largest tendons in the body according to Advertisement Depending on their severity, Achilles' tears can be treated with both surgical and non-surgical methods, per MGB, though professional athletes typically opt for the former. Doctors classify Achilles tears' into three grades, the most severe being a full rupture of most or all of the tendon fibers. It's unclear what the severity of Tatum's rupture is. According to a league source, the decision was made to operate immediately because swift action following Achilles' injuries tends to lead to more favorable outcomes. The source added that complications during these procedures are common, so the Celtics were encouraged when Tatum emerged from surgery with no further issues. Tatum is one of many NBA superstars who have ruptured their Achilles' tendons. Just last month, Kevin Durant That seems to be indicative of Tatum's potential recovery timeline. The absence of their most productive and reliable player Related : 'The problem with this injury is that it takes a long, long time to get back to any sort of basketball activity to begin with, ' Hofmann said. 'And then, obviously, at the level that that he would like to be at from an NBA player standpoint [can be even longer].' Advertisement Some with torn Achilles' can return to physical activity as soon as three to four months after surgery, with physical therapy and other treatments, Hofmann said. But for NBA players, it typically takes about six to eight months to return to practice. Getting back to full speed and full strength, he said, can be anywhere to 12 to 18 months. 'You'll need to use crutches for two weeks, then you'll be in a medical boot for for at least a month, or a little longer,' said Dr. Atsushi Endo, an orthopedic surgeon at Tufts Medical Center. 'So you can walk on your own without any medical device after usually two months. Then you can start doing some ... sports specific [exercises].' Medical staff will have to be careful to avoid a 're-rupture,' which, though relatively uncommon, would seriously complicate any recovery, Hofmann said. 'They'll likely bring it along slowly, allow him to get used to the game speed again' he said. 'There's a big mental component to this as well. Because of the injury and how it happens, a non-contact type injury, there are a lot of mental obstacles that need to be overcome as players get back on the court, so they're not playing in fear of that.' Achilles' tendons play an especially crucial role for basketball players, who rely on them for their explosive and sudden movements on the court. 'It's the major stabilizer of the posterior aspect of the ankle,' Hofmann said, 'and it really adds the most power to the calf muscle, which allows NBA players to run and jump higher.' Advertisement A 2019 And a However, on Tatum's side is his age; at 27 years old, he may recover more speedily than older players. Achilles' tears are most common in older athletes approaching middle age, Endo said. Tatum has been one of the most durable players in the NBA. He only missed ten regular season games this year, and until last month against the Magic, he had never missed a playoff game. No one has played more minutes than Tatum since he entered the NBA in 2017. Material from previous Globe coverage was used. Adam Himmelsbach contributed reporting to this story. Camilo Fonseca can be reached at
Boston Globe
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Jayson Tatum's shocking injury could reverberate for months to come for the Celtics
Karl-Anthony Towns, who heard Tatum scream in agony, said a prayer as he limped by. Advertisement Jayson Tatum was helped off the court late in Game 4 after an apparent leg injury on this play. — ESPN (@espn) The Celtics Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Tatum will receive an MRI on his lower right leg Tuesday, but the no-contact injury resembled so many Achilles' tears of the past, including Milwaukee's Damian Lillard last month. The repercussions for such a serious injury are significant — not only for this series, which appears to be done as soon as Wednesday in Boston, but for next season as recovery could be nearly a year. Advertisement Tatum was the Celtics' iron man, a player who never turned down an opportunity to play, who had to be convinced to sit out games because of his dedication to the sport and those who wanted to see him play. The Celtics needed a vintage Tatum game Monday and they got it, but his body wouldn't let him complete his mission. It's been a difficult postseason for Tatum health-wise. In Game 1 of the first-round series against the Orlando Magic, he was knocked to the ground by a hard foul from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and sustained a significant wrist injury that he spent the past few weeks downplaying. It affected his shot and required considerable treatment. Related : But he looked close to previous form Monday — splashing threes, keeping the Celtics close, even though they could do little to stop the Knicks from scoring. New York shot a blazing 67 percent in the second half and scored 40 of its 70 points in the paint, snatching the Celtics' will. And that was before Tatum's devastating injury. Jayson Tatum also went to the floor in pain in the third quarter, after being fouled on his injured wrist. But Tatum, per usual, got back up and sank his free throws. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff 'It's tough,' forward Jaylen Brown said. 'There's not really a lot to say. We didn't say much (to each other). It wasn't a lot to say. Obviously, JT, everybody's concerned. But tonight defensively, our defense let us down. No resistance.' The disappointment and shock was apparent in the locker room. Tatum and Brown have remained mostly healthy in their careers, with Brown missing the postseason in 2021 because of wrist surgery. Tatum sprained his ankle early in Game 7 of the Miami series in 2023, and that cost the Celtics a return trip to the Finals. Advertisement Besides that, they have actually been fortunate health wise with their superstars, and that durability is the only reason they have repeatedly been to the Eastern Conference Finals. Tatum was the model of that good health, bouncing back from injury after injury, refusing to relent to pain and discomfort. But Monday was just too much — not even for the man who has worked feverishly on his body, on his conditioning since entering the league in 2017, turning himself into a physical specimen able to that constant contact on his drives. But this wasn't one of those drives. He passed the ball on the left wing to Brown, who drove and lost the ball as Tatum and Anunoby converged. Tatum pushed off his right leg in pursuit and then crumbled, and then spun in circles like a break-dancer, wincing in pain as two trainers rushed to attend to him. Jayson Tatum came out firing Monday night, and celebrated this first-quarter 3-pointer in front of the MSG crowd. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff 'Obviously, I'm always concerned about someone's health,' Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. 'It's two-fold. We're concerned about his health and where he's at, and what we have to do better for Game 5 when we get back to Boston. I got back there and talked to the medical staff and they said it was a lower-body injury.' But watching Tatum unable to rise on his own just weeks after he implored Tatum to get up after the wrist injury had to be the ultimate gut punch. The Celtics have had a difficult postseason. Repeating has been more difficult than they expected with a heathier Tatum, and now this. 'So the fact that he had to be carried off, he's the type of guy that gets right up,' Mazzulla said. '(This time) he didn't.' Related : Advertisement The future of the organization is now in serious question. Tatum is the Celtics' franchise player and could miss all of next season, and there were already likely to be some financial changes to escape the vaunted second apron. So now the business of basketball and the long-term health of Tatum could force the Celtics to take a considerable step back. Tatum is only 27, just entering his prime, but nothing in this game is guaranteed, especially good health. There is remote hope the Celtics receive better news than what is expected, but they'll have to move forward without their cornerstone — and the only reaction right now is shock and devastation. Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at
USA Today
07-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Indianapolis Colts' DE Samson Ebukam provides update on Achilles injury
Indianapolis Colts' DE Samson Ebukam provides update on Achilles injury Indianapolis Colts' DE Samson Ebukam provided an update on his Achilles injury. Indianapolis Colts' defensive end Samson Ebukam met with reporters on Wednesday and provided an injury update as he continues to work his way back from an Achilles injury. According to Joel Erickson of the Indy Star, Ebukam says that he will be in a "great spot" by the end of OTAs and expects to be cleared for training camp. Ebukam suffered an Achilles injury in late July last summer at the start of training camp. Initially, there were conversations about a potential return for him late in the season, but even if the Colts had made the playoffs, Ebukam said that never became a real possibility. During Ebukam's first season with the Colts in 2023, he led the team in sacks with 9.5, and his 48 pressures were the second-most behind only DeForest Buckner. Earlier this offseason, GM Chris Ballard mentioned that the defense missed Ebukam's physicality, energy, and toughness. Once back in the mix, Ebukam will rejoin a Colts' defensive end rotation that includes Laiatu Latu, Kwity Paye, and second-round pick JT Tuimoloau. Without Dayo Odeyingbo, the Colts are losing their top-pressure getter from the 2024 season. Replacing that production will be a group effort, but a Year 2 jump from Latu and the return of Ebukam will be key factors in that equation. There is, however, some uncertainty around what to expect from Ebukam. Typically, an Achilles injury can be one that takes a full season before a player returns to their original form. "It's a concern, absolutely," Ballard said of Ebukam coming off the Achilles' injury via the team site. "But when you know who the kid is and what he stands for and the effort he puts into everything, I'm willing to make that bet. We missed his physicality. Undeniably, we missed what Samson brought a year ago."
Irish Times
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Dorothy Wall ruled out of Ireland's World Cup campaign with Achilles injury
Ireland have suffered a huge blow ahead of the World Cup later this year with news that backrow forward Dorothy Wall is to undergo Achilles' tenson surgery in Dublin on Wednesday that will rule her out of the tournament in England. The 24-year-old from Clonmel suffered the injury in the defeat to Scotland in Edinburgh last Saturday that concluded Ireland's Six Nations campaign. Wall, who started as blindside flanker, was replaced by Claire Boles after 17 minutes of the game at Hive Stadium. An IRFU statement confirmed that wall will be sidelines for a number of months post-surgery, missing the build-up to the World Cup, which starts in late August. Ireland face pool games against Japan and Spain in Northampton before facing defending champions New Zealand in Brighton. 'I'm devastated to be missing the next couple of months, but my main focus now is on my rehab programme and I'm looking forward to supporting the team in the Rugby World Cup,' Wall said.
