Dr. Richard Parker double-checks LeBron James before return cleared

Orthopedic Sports Medicine

Richard Parker, MD, continues to assess Cleveland Cavs' LeBron James as his medical team works to bring the all-star back to the court after two weeks on the bench, according to an ABC report.

Dr. Parker, the team's physician, is working to rehab strains in Mr. James' lower back and left knee, Cleveland general manager David Griffin said, pointing to Jan. 15 as a possible return date.

 

"Dr. Parker and his team have a plan in place that will involve ramping up to court work," he told ESPN. "I don't have any idea what day that is, and I don't think they necessarily do either. I think we're going to see how he responds to each step along the way. I would rule him out of anything leading up to that point, but I think from the very beginning that two weeks is sort of a baseline minimum. We certainly don't anticipate anything earlier than that."

 

Mr. James' trainer, Mike Mancias, has been working with him three or four times a day on top of Dr. Parker's advisement, though the forward has yet to go through any basketball-specific activities yet.

 

Dr. Parker, chairman of the department of orthopaedic surgery at Cleveland Clinic, is a member of several organizations, including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Orthopaedic Society of Sports Medicine, Arthroscopic Association of North America and International Society of Arthroscopic, Knee and Sports Medicine.

 

For more sports medicine news:

The surgeons who helped get Hall of Famer Randy Johnson get to 300 wins
Dr. Ira Guttentag to perform surgery on Lightning's defenseman Radko Gudas
Dr. David Altchek performs successful surgery on Bucks rookie Jabari Parker

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