In weeks, the second NBA star fell to the floor because his Achilles tendon ruptured.

Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard went down with the injury in the first round of the playoffs against the Indiana Pacers on April 27, and Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum was dealt a similar blow in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals May 12. Clearly in pain, and putting no weight through his injured right leg as he was helped off the court, a obviously distraught Tatum was taken to the locker room in a wheelchair for examination, or perhaps a confirmation he already knows.

Achilles' tears are unique. After the initial vibration during injury - suddenly Pop music The sound that follows usually causes the athlete to look at his shoulder and see the impact that hit him - already realizing the severity of what just happened. Most athletes know they won’t walk right away and if they try, they will awkwardly lift their flat legs up to the ground when they can’t push them away.

The Achilles tendon is the connection between the calf muscles and the foot, through the heel. When the calf muscles contract, energy transfers through the tendons, pushing the foot away from the ground. Energy can be as low as driving the body, or as strong as exploding into the sky. The need for fatal tendons for NBA athletes is high due to repeated jumps, running and push/pivoting operations. These movements use loads on the tendon alternately by repeated tension/elongation with explosive contraction. These loads can lead to acute inflammation, or ultimately chronic structural changes within the tendon.

Many Achilles ruptures happen like Tatum. The player takes a step back and drops the deadly hind legs on the stretch, then pushes away from the hind feet. At that moment, the tendon extends from extreme to rapid shortening, and it fails.

In the elite athlete population, surgical repair of tendons is the standard treatment process. Although some people were surprised to have Tatum surgery less than 24 hours after their injuries, this timing was actually ideal. Arthroscopy, published in 2020 in knee surgery, Sports Trauma, confirmed the benefits of rapid repair, pointing to improved biomechanical and histological (micro-tissue structure) results in patients undergoing surgery within the first 48 hours after injury. This schedule may not always be feasible, but is widely accepted in the sports medicine community and it is best to avoid delays in order to optimize Achilles tendon treatment.

Tatum will be postoperatively administered for a short period of time to protect repairs, and his early controlled movement will begin when the actor is removed. Although some exercises are key to ankle mobility, maintenance must be protected rather than overstretching. Achilles' elasticity is the key to its function. The weight of the repair is like stretching the rubber band until it becomes functional.

There is also a problem with combining light enhancement and gradually increasing weight bearings, eventually transferring athletes from casting or boots to shoes. Once repairs heal enough, a more aggressive range of motion begins, and eventually resumes running, jumping, agility and explosive movements as well as basketball activities. Games returning to athletes usually take six months to one year, with NBA athletes recovering on average for 10 months, affected by the athlete's overall recovery, return to fitness and seasonal calendar.

In this process, what cannot be ignored is the athlete's psychological recovery. The rupture of Achilles was so sudden and totally incapacitated that often made athletes wonder if he would return to the form of injury, especially in the early stages of recovery. Even after the athlete successfully returns to the competition, achieving pre-injury performance may be delayed. The combination of regaining strength and confidence in the legs may not be achieved until the athlete can play consistently. Most athletes who returned from the Achilles tendon repair report didn’t fully regain explosiveness until the second season.

Tatum, 27, does have the benefits of young people, and his injury history is sparse, which is great for his recovery. In addition to the added benefit of timely repairs, he also took the helm of the top foot and ankle surgeon. Dr. Martin O'Malley of the Hospital Special Surgery Hospital, in addition to consulting on numerous NBA athlete cases, also serves as a member of the Brooklyn Nets' medical staff. It is worth noting that O'Malley had a 2019 Achilles repair by Kevin Durant. Durant is able to return to the elite level of performance post-attack injury should be used as inspiration for Tatum as he proceeds through a long and arduous recovery process.

At this point, here are some of Tatum’s more relevant players.

Kobe Bryant: Bryant is perhaps the most memorable NBA player, Bryant was 34 when he was injured before the 2013 playoffs. He underwent surgery in April and returned to the operation in December of the same year. Kobe is back, but lacks explosiveness. The following year, his season ended prematurely due to a shoulder injury, and the following season was his last.

Klay Thompson: Thompson's situation is somewhat unique as he tore the right Achilles apart while tearing it apart from the ACL. Thompson tore his ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals and missed the entire season. He suffered a tear from Achilles as he approached the recovery action to start the 2020-21 season. He eventually returned midway midway at the 31-year-old 2021-22 season, and as expected, he averaged less. His shooting efficiency has also been reduced. But Thompson rebounded in his second year, averaging four minutes per game and posting career-best in three-pointers and rebounds.

Kevin Durant: Durant tore his right-wing fatal weakness in the 2019 NBA Finals, while the Golden State Warriors tore his right-wing. It is worth noting that he reached a four-year contract with the Brooklyn Nets during his recovery, reflecting confidence in his ability to return at the elite level. Durant participated in the 2019-20 season but returned to action the following year and looked strong. He only played 35 games that season, mainly due to other injuries, but was playing like Durant on the court. Perhaps the 18-month window between injury and returning to the game helped improve his performance metrics. Durant's figures prove that an NBA player over 30 years old can recover from his injury level.