OKC Thunder Guard Andre Roberson was on pace to return soon. After a recent workout, the defensive stopper hit another stumbling block in his recovery.
In one month and 28 days, it will be one full calendar since OKC Thunder starting shooting guard Andre Roberson suffered a ruptured left patellar tendon vs. the Detroit Pistons. Since suffering the initial injury and undergoing surgery the next day, Dre has suffered from three separate setbacks.
Including two additional procedures, one procedure was to alleviate synovitis, which was performed May 29. His third procedure was performed on October 4, to relieve irritation from a suture. Fast forward to today via, Erik Horne of the Oklahoman Roberson has suffered an avulsion fracture after a workout on Thursday afternoon. This latest obstacle will sideline Dre for a minimum of an additional six weeks.
A six-week re-evaluation date from today would be around Jan. 11. The Thunder will have played more than half its games this season, and Roberson will be approaching a year since his last game (Jan. 27, 2018) https://t.co/HL7VfzgBcP
— Erik Horne (@ErikkHorne) November 30, 2018
In recent days Roberson had begun to ramp up his workout regimen. He could be seen running, jumping, and cutting (to the basket) in the Thunder’s practice facility post-practice. Perhaps, this is yet another tough break for Roberson, literally. Or, maybe Roberson was beginning to do too much, too soon. If, the latter is the case it is understandable, considering he has been unable to play basketball for nearly 365 days.
What is an avulsion fracture?
"An avulsion fracture is an injury to the bone in a location where a tendon or ligament attaches to the bone. When an avulsion fracture occurs, the tendon or ligament pulls off a piece of the bone. Avulsion fractures can occur anywhere in the body, but they are more common in a few specific locations."
The above paragraph is courtesy of VeryWellHealth.com
What you need to know about an avulsion fracture
"An avulsion fracture is not always serious, and rest may the best treatment. However, medical help should be sought if symptoms occur. A person with a more severe fracture may need to wear a cast for 6 to 8 weeks to allow the bone to heal. Fractures commonly take between 3 to 12 weeks to heal."
The above paragraph is courtesy of MedicalNewsToday.com
The Medical News Today article goes on to discuss how the injury is more common in children than, adults. However, the injury does commonly affect adults who play sports. The way an avulsion fracture occurs is the result of the bone going in one direction, while the tendon goes in the opposite direction.
Roberson was progressing toward a return but was still some time away and while this setback is obviously unfortunate, it doesn’t entirely reset the timetable for him to come back. In six weeks the Thunder will have a clear picture of his expected return to play.
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) November 30, 2018
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The positive news to take from Dre’s latest setback is, his patellar tendon must be very strong, due to the fact it broke off a piece of bone. Therefore, earlier reports that his original injury was healing well can now be confirmed.
At this point, the Thunder and Roberson should consider shutting the guard down for the year. Allowing him more time to heal, to prevent a more serious setback.
In conclusion, the entire team at TI wishes Andre Roberson a speedy recovery and the staff looks forward to seeing him back on the hardwood. Whenever his long-awaited return ultimately takes place.