Jeremy Lin Might Not Fully Recover From Knee Injury, Says Orthopedic Surgeon

Jeremy Lin is officially out for the remainder of the season after being diagnosed with a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee. Lin is set to undergo surgery anytime soon and he is expected to be back for next season. However, an orthopedic surgeon believes Lin might not fully recover from the knee injury he suffered.

In an interview with the New York Post, Dr. James Gladstone of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai explained the recovery process Jeremy Lin had to endure for the next several months. Gladstone said that a number of things had to happen for Lin to have a full recovery. But there is no assurance that Lin will be able to regain his form, given that he relies on agility to be an effective player in the NBA.

A number of things have to happen. One, it has to be healed back into place. Second, you have to have the right tension in that tendon. If it heals and it’s stretched out, it doesn’t matter how strong your quadriceps are, you can’t generate the same force through the knee.”

Dr. Gladstone added that the healing process is different for everyone. Jeremy Lin can make a full recovery or he will be the shell of his former self. It will take longer rehab for the kind of knee injury Lin suffered since a ruptured patellar tendon is more common in NFL players.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNKnlrRynTs

Jeremy Lin suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of the Nets’ season opener against the Indiana Pacers. Lin penetrated to the basket for a contested layup, but he landed awkwardly after the shot. The 29-year-old point guard immediately grabbed his knee and burst into tears. Lin already knew that he was “done” for the season as teammates and medical staff helped him.

The Nets officially announced Lin’s diagnosis on the team’s website on Thursday. General manager Sean Marks expressed his support for Lin and he mentioned that the point guard is going to have a role in the team’s bench during his recovery. The surgery is not yet scheduled, but it is expected to be as soon as possible. It’s not clear if the patellar tendon in the right knee of Lin was ripped directly off the bone or it was ripped right in the middle. The latter type of tear is the more difficult procedure, according to Dr. Gladstone.

It was a tough blow for Lin since he struggled to stay healthy in his first season in Brooklyn. Lin only played in 36 games last season due to a couple of right hamstring injuries. The Nets were actually good when Lin was healthy, and they had a real shot of making the playoffs this season in a weak Eastern Conference.

Nevertheless, Lin has a long road to recovery ahead, and he needs all the support he can get. As for the Nets, they are surely going to rely more on D’Angelo Russell with young role players such as Caris LeVert, Allen Crabbe, and Spencer Dinwiddie splitting the minutes left by the Lin.

[Featured Image by Chiang Ying-ying/AP Images]