A sports doctor has stated his belief that Zlatan Ibrahimovic went under the surgeon’s knife precisely with the intention of playing once again.
Through a statement on the club’s official website, they have confirmed that Ibrahimovic underwent an operation on his left knee in Lyon yesterday and that his estimated recovery time is 7-8 months.
Ibrahimovic himself gave a statement on social media earlier today during which he revealed that he was essentially playing without an anterior cruciate ligament for the last six months, cleaning his knee once a week for six months, relying heavily on painkillers and being unable to train with the rest of the squad more than once a week.
Dr. Loris Perticarini – an orthopaedic expert in sports traumatology – spoke about Ibrahimovic’s operation and about what the future might hold for the Swede during an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“The ‘central field’ is the reconstruction of the cruciate, due to a previous sprain involving the cruciate ligament. The knee suffered from chronic instability, had to be corrected. In these cases, a peripheral plastic is associated in arthroscopy, i.e. a protection for the reconstructed knee: in this way the stabilisation is strengthened,” he began (via SempreMilan.it).
“As for the meniscus, then, in the event of an injury, there are two ways: you can remove the damaged area or repair it, and that’s what was done with Ibra. Meniscal repair requires long recovery times, but since the reconstruction of the cruciate would still have involved a recovery of 7-8 months, it was correct to opt for this solution.”
On the recovery time: “Yes, they are in line with the timing envisaged for operations of this type. To simplify, Ibra’s knee was reconstructed in a similar way to Chiesa’s, with accessory surgical gestures: recovery times are almost identical. In 7-8 months Zlatan will be able to return to the group. Seeing him before that will be difficult: with a reconstructed crusader and a meniscal repair there are no shortcuts.”
On the idea he may now retire: “Well, you do not undergo this type of intervention to be a manager… It is clearly an operation aimed at returning to the field.”
On the possible complications: “The timing of rehabilitation could affect any associated cartilage problems. Net of these factors, once healed there should be no problems: the stability of the knee does not change, it is the support given by the muscles that affects, but from this point of view Ibra is a guarantee.”
