New Orleans Pelicans forward-center Anthony Davis on Thursday had an ultrasonic debridement of the degenerative area of the patellar tendon in his left knee, according to Dr. Neal ElAttrache.
There was more concerning information released about Davis’ knee. In addition to the patellar tendinopathy, Davis has 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,” ElAttrache said in a detailed medical report posted on the Pelicans’ web site.
Certified athletic trainer Jeff Stotts said on Twitter a stress reaction in the patella (kneecap) can be tricky to manage.
During the knee debridement, doctors treated the knee with a concentrated injection of Davis’ bone marrow “which is rich in cells and proteins that can reduce pain and trigger a healing response,” according to ElAttrache.
But Davis will not need surgery to repair a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder, an injury sustained three seasons ago, ElAttrache said.
“He reports only mild soreness in his shoulder which occurs very infrequently after games,” ElAttrache said. “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 …
“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.”
The timetable for Davis’ return to basketball activities is 3-4 months.
