The New Orleans Pelicans announced Thursday that star forward Anthony Davis underwent left knee surgery, and will be sidelined for the next three-to-four months.
Davis, 23, does not require surgery on his partially-torn left shoulder.
The Pels also put out a detailed report from Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who recommended that AD avoid shoulder surgery.
From the press release:
“Anthony initially sustained a posterior labral tear of his left shoulder 3 years ago. He reports only mild soreness in his shoulder which occurs very infrequently after games. Anthony has not missed any playing time due to his shoulder. He denies recurrent instability, feels that his shoulder is strong, he has no apprehension and feels that he is able to perform at 100% of his capacity regarding his shoulder. Posterior labral tears typically do not predictably cause instability in as high a percentage of players as anterior labral tears.
It is possible to maintain strong shoulder function and performance without surgery in many players with a labral tear. We would recommend surgery for recurrent instability or pain that limits training, performance or playing time. Currently, Anthony is doing a good job of maintaining his shoulder without surgery and it is safe to play in his current condition. We would recommend a conservative approach for players like this. If he develops problems which affect his performance, we would repair his labrum at that point.
Anthony will immediately start a rehab and training program for both his shoulder and knee with the expectation that he will be ready for the start of the 2016 NBA regular season.”
