Sports Medicine Doctor Brian Sutterer provided an excellent breakdown of Lonzo Ball's knee injury and the potential causes of continued pain.
We all knew it was coming, but the Chicago Bulls finally made it official on Tuesday: Lonzo Ball has been shut down for the season. The long-running saga has Bulls fans and many around the NBA asking, "What the hell is going on?" And it's a fair question considering Ball hasn't played in over a year due to a number of setbacks and complications. Add in the fact that Ball's agent said many doctors around the country have never seen an injury like his before, and the situation becomes even murkier.
So where do we turn for any potential insight?
Brian Sutterer MD, a Sports Medicine doctor, has a YouTube channel dedicated to understanding professional sports injuries. Sutterer made an entire video about Ball's situation, in which he scientifically explained a few things about the point guard's knee injury along with possible reasons why doctors don't have a fix yet.
Brian Sutterer's Concerns About Lonzo Ball
Sutterer begins by deciphering the statement from Ball's agent that doctors have "never seen this before." He explained that there are two scenarios: one is never seeing it before and having a treatment plan, and the other is never seeing it before and not having a treatment plan. He believes Ball's situation falls into the latter category.
The video then provides a step-by-step history of Lonzo Ball's injury. Sutterer discussed how the first surgery was routine but the subsequent procedures to remove cartilage could make things worse.
What's Causing Ball's Continued Knee Pain?
While so much time was spent looking at Ball's knee, Sutterer explained that sometimes such an issue can actually stem from the hip or the ankle, and knee pain is just a symptom. He said most NBA players have some degeneration of the knee and doctors can conclude early that it's the cause of knee pain. But if the ailment is located outside of the knee, shutting down activity may be the opposite of what is needed.
I'm not the doctor here, so I recommend watching Sutterer explain additional reasons why some issues may not show up on an MRI. The video is extremely well done with diagrams and clear explanations.
Hopefully Lozno Ball's doctors have exhausted all these ideas and will have him back on the court when the Chicago Bulls begin the 2023-24 season.
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