In a surprisingly quick return from his injury, the reigning two time NBA MVP Stephen Curry shined as he carried the Golden State Warriors to victory with seventeen points in overtime alone in game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals. Just two weeks ago, Curry had been diagnosed with a grade one medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain in his right knee after slipping on the court. The MCL is a ligament located on the inner part of the knee that stabilizes the knee joint and connects the tibia (shin) bone to the to the femur (thigh). MCL injuries are classified as grade one, two, or three; a grade one sprain suffered by Curry means that the ligament had not been torn, but the ligament fibers had been mildly stretched.
Immediately after the injury, Curry was seen with multiple ice packs in the locker room and also compression orthotics around his knee to minimize inflammation. According to Dr. Thomas McWeeney, an Orthopaedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine, Curry worked with the team physiotherapist and athletic trainer to regain full range of motion in his knee and to reduce swelling through therapies such as ice baths, stationary bike, and electrical muscle stimulation which stimulates the muscles without physical movement and helped maintain leg strength while Curry was forced out of the gym. Then, he slowly progressed from walking to jogging along with active rehabilitation exercises on his knee, which also helped him gain back proprioception, channels of sensory information between the brain and the limbs that are in motion during exercise.
Furthermore, there have been reports of Curry receiving platelet-rich plasma therapy (PRP), which utilizes the platelets from the athlete’s own blood to help the recovery of a damaged tendon or cartilage. While expediting the healing process, PRP also relieves pain when successfully conducted. First, blood is drawn out into a centrifuge and rested to separate the oxygen-rich platelets from the plasma, which are composed of red blood cells and white blood cells that emit growth factors for tissue regeneration. Then, the platelets are injected into the damaged area using an ultrasound machine. PRP is often used to treat osteoarthritis and tendonitis in the knee.
If you would like to know more about MCL injuries or you are suffering from one, our team of physiotherapists at Burquitlam Physiotherapy would be happy to answer your questions.
Ask your question at askburquitlamphysio@gmail.com
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