Last August, just after Indiana Pacers’ star Paul George broke his leg in a gruesome scene while scrimmaging with the Team USA Olympic squad, experts said George was facing a difficult road before him.
Like other athletes who suffer a traumatic injury, George would likely face the common pitfalls of depression, too narrow a focus on the effects of the injury and trying to make too fast a recovery, said St. Elizabeth Sports Medicine physical therapist Stacey McConnell.
“When you have to sit an athlete down for a while, you’re removing a big part of their life. That comes with all sorts of consequences,” McConnell said.
Now, four months after George suffered a compound fracture on the court for Team USA, we’re getting a window on how the guard is handling his rehabilitation.
Sports website The Bleacher Report started following George during his workouts in late November, chronicling his comeback. The website started posting their in-depth coverage in late January. “The Road Back” will be a recurring series as George works to return to play.
In part one, “Reliving the Nightmare,” George talks about depression and the physical effects after he suffered the horrific injury. Many athletes, no matter the level of competition, deal with the same issues after injury.
“Still, there are days that are hard,” says George. “You just have to deal with it, but it’s hard.”
The series should give unique insight into the issues all injured athletes face on some scale, according to the website.
