Kevin Durant: Achilles rupture no longer a career ending injury

In June of 2019 Kevin Durant confirmed on social media that he had suffered and underwent surgical correction for a Right ruptured achilles tendon.

Durant had just returned back to the NBA Finals at the time of his injury after sustaining a calf strain.  The achilles tendon is a tendon at the back of the leg that connects the calf muscles to the heel bone.  Injuries of this magnitude are not just seen in professional athletes but can also be a risk for our “Weekend Warrior” patients - a term affectionately given to men and women who participate in athletics in their spare time.  Muscle imbalances, tight muscles, lack of stretching, poor shoegear, uneven surfaces or failing to rehab appropriately from an injury minor or not can make us all susceptible to injury.

Most professional athletes take about 10 months to recover from this type of surgery, Durant, due to the pandemic, had 19 months to let his body heal -  to properly prepare for the season and give his body the best shot at returning to pre-injury form.

To date, Durant has been having an amazing season with the Brooklyn Nets and is showing no signs of this injury impacting his game.  

One of the greatest take aways for this basketball fan and podiatrist is that injuries, big and small, need time. They need proper rehab to build strength, correct muscle imbalances, and get our athletes - high school, college, professional and weekend back on the field or court safely with their best foot forward.