San Francisco 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward has begun rehabilitation after surgery for a core muscle injury. On Thursday, Ward announced he had successful surgery, but he didn't go into detail as to what injury he sustained. Ward posted a picture on his Instagram account from Vincera Institute, an Orthopedic clinic in Philadelphia. The clinic specializes in core injuries.
According to the Vincera Institute website, "There are 121 different combinations of core muscle injuries. 'The Core' is shorthand for a very complex network of muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints between chest and thighs that interconnect to provide the burst necessary for optimal performance." Core injuries can affect performance, range of motion, and the ability to play at your best ability.
When 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa was at Ohio State, he suffered a core injury. Bosa said, "When it happened, when I got home from that TCU game, I was laying in bed, I could barely get up. It was one of the darkest moments of my life so far." Bosa underwent surgery at the same clinic as Ward and made a strong enough recovery to be drafted second overall by the 49ers and named the 2019 NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year.
It's not known how or when Ward sustained the injury, but it is important to note that Ward suffered a groin injury against the Seattle Seahawks in December. And now with a successful surgery behind him, Ward has started his rehab.
Ward is coming off his best season as a pro. The star CB finished with 72 tackles, one forced fumble, five interceptions, and a touchdown. He also was selected to the Pro Bowl and named second-team All-Pro. Ward was especially good at handling top receivers on opposing teams. Some of his best games in 2023 were when facing his toughest competition. According to Pro Football Focus, Ward's overall grade of 84.7 (including the playoffs) ranked fifth among all NFL cornerbacks, and his 86.5 coverage grade ranked third.
Ward is expected to be ready to go by training camp.
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