Dr. Soppe weighs in on the 49ers Defensive Lineman’s prognosis after scheduled surgery to repair knee.
Article Link: Post-surgery recovery outlook for 49ers’ Arik Armstead as detailed by a surgeon (msn.com)
Post-surgery recovery outlook for 49ers’ Arik Armstead per a surgeon (sfchronicle.com)
On Feb. 13, two days after the 49ers’ 25-22 overtime loss to Kansas City in Super Bowl LVIII, the four-time team captain agreed when asked if he will require a more “involved” meniscus procedure. He said his recovery could extend into at least late July when the 49ers report for training camp.
“It’s going to be a little time,” Armstead said. “The time window should be around then — for training camp. We’ll see how it goes.”
Based on Armstead’s outlook, it’s very likely he required a meniscus repair, which, for those with meniscus injuries, is a less common procedure that results in a longer recovery. That’s the assessment of Dr. Clint Soppe, an orthopedic surgeon who is a consultant for the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer.
Soppe said with repairs, which are usually performed arthroscopically, the damaged tissue is mended with stitches and that tissue needs about three months to heal. The recovery timeline for a repair is often 4-6 months. That contrasts with a partial menisectomy, a clean-up procedure in which a portion of the meniscus can be trimmed to restore function. Athletes who have such a surgery are typically back at full strength in 6-8 weeks.
Regardless of which procedure is performed, however, athletes usually can return and perform at a pre-injury level.
“The prognosis typically is still very good,” said Soppe, who practices at the Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles. “It’s just that one typically takes longer to recover from than the other.”
