If you followed the Houston Rockets this season, you know a three-game road winning streak is something to celebrate, considering the Rockets have been one of the worst road teams all season. The Rockets dominated the second half vs the Sacramento Kings to come away with a 112-104 win on Sunday night. However, no one is talking about the win because of the potential significant injury to Alperen Sengun late in the fourth quarter.
The Dream Shake talks with Dr. Jesse Morse about Alperen Sengun’s injury
The Dream Shake talks with Dr. Jesse Morse, a sports medicine expert, about Alperen Sengun’s injury
With the Rockets up 108-100 after a Fred VanVleet turnover, Sengun went up to contest the layup and came down awkwardly, his ankle twisting and his leg bending as he landed.
Coach Udoka announced after the game that Sengun had already taken an x-ray, and we now have the results of his MRI, which he took on Monday. It was a potential season-ending injury, and the Rockets wanted to ensure they had as much information as possible before deciding. Luckily, the Rockets received some good news.
Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Alperen Sengun avoided significant injury.
I spoke with Dr. Jesse Morse, a sports medicine expert out of Miami, Florida, about Sengun’s injury and what to expect during his recovery ( Bold text is from Dr. Jesse Morse)
First, thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to answer my questions on Alperen Sengun’s issue. Now that we have the MRI results, can you talk about the type of injury Sengun suffered?
Alperen Sengun suffered a left knee sprain and bone bruise, and a left lateral ankle sprain. They have not classified the severity of the ankle injury at this time, but based on their initial comments, both sound of the mild to slightly moderate severity.
Was this the best-case scenario, considering how his leg and ankle bent after hitting the floor?
Watching this by video was quite concerning as there was a significant amount of force placed on his left knee and left ankle. Based on Sengun’s reaction, this could have been significantly worse, options, ranging from an ankle fracture, as well as a torn ACL in his knee.
In my opinion, this was the most realistic best case scenario.
How long does recovery take for this type of injury, and when he returns, will he be able to return to his pre-injury mobility?
He’s dealing with two separate injuries. Initially, the injury to the left knee looked much more concerning. However, after the MRI information was released, that is no longer the case.
The ankle injury appears to be either a mild or moderate lateral ankle sprain, which is the most common type. As long as there is no significant ligament damage, he could return in 2 to 4 weeks.
The knee injury timeline is tricky, as long as there is no damage to the meniscus, articular cartilage, as well as ligaments, which is what we’ve heard so far, there is a chance that Sengun may be able to return in a couple weeks as long as he can tolerate the pain from the bone bruise. The bone bruise is more painful than concerning.
The limiting factor for returning is the stability of that left ankle in my opinion.
Will Sengun need surgery, or is it the type of injury that will heal with time and rest?
With the information that we know right now, regarding his knee, he should not need any surgery. Although this injury will increase his risk for future injuries in my opinion, due to the amount of trauma that that joint has suffered. In my professional opinion he will be at increased risk for a torn meniscus. However, this is not enough to require surgery, but he may consider being preventative procedure with something like a PRP or stem cell injection.
Regarding his ankle, these traditionally do not require surgical repair. The primary issue with this injury, as it is the most common injury not only in basketball, but also in orthopedics in general, is that he will likely suffer ample lateral ankle sprains again in the future. (See my recent post about Steph Curry for example). This is also an area that he could reinforce with regenerative medicine (PRP or stem cell).
Is this the type of injury that could cause other leg issues in the future, or will it heal completely? Sengun shouldn’t have any long-term problems.
In general, I’m not overly concerned about either injury. His age definitely contributed to his good diagnosis along with his flexibility.
Unfortunately, the body only heals to about 85% naturally, and the body will use scar tissue to try to help strengthen these tissues/ligaments.
Thank you again for your time. Do you have any final thoughts on this type of injury?
This could have been a devastating injury for Sengun, one that could have potentially changed his future dramatically. Thankfully, within 6 to 12 months this will be completely forgotten. It was a fluke injury that was relatively unpreventable.
I’m happy that such a talented player was able to avoid a significant injury and should be able to return to the court after a brief absence.
All in all, this was the best-case scenario, considering how bad it looked during the game. Sengun is the Rockets best player and one of the nicest people you will ever talk to, so I am hoping for a speedy recovery and happy it wasn’t much worse.
I want to thank Dr. Jesse Morse for taking the time to answer our question. Follow Dr. Morse on Twitter/X @DrJesseMorse, and for more information on Dr. Morse, visit his website theosteocenter.com
See More:
