New York Giants receiver Victor Cruz's right knee might never be the same. A doctor who spoke with the New York Daily News likened the patellar tendon rupture to a wrecked car and predicted a long, painful rehab for the Giants star.
Cruz ruptured the patellar tendon in his right knee in the third quarter of Sunday's 27-0 blowout loss at Philadelphia. His surgery on Tuesday was a success, according to the Giants' team website, but there's no timetable for his return.
Dr. David Chao, a former NFL team physician, told the Daily News the new outlook for Cruz's career doesn't look great.
"He can return to 100%, but it (his knee) is a car in a car accident," Chao said. "Never brand new when fixed."
The injury's biggest impact could be on Cruz's explosiveness and his ability to quickly change directions. The Daily News pointed out while some NFL players have returned from this kind of injury, none ever regained their elite form.
"Studies show full return," Chao said of the injury in general. "Of course there's no way to measure explosive (ability) objectively."
The injury requires a "massive open procedure" followed by a long, painful rehab. A cast typically immobilizes the leg for six weeks after surgery, which causes a gradual deterioration of the surrounding muscles. The muscle must then be rebuilt and retrained; the Daily News reported Cruz is unlikely to be able to even run for the next six months.
"(It's) harder and more painful early recovery than ACL," said Chao.
