The most positive World Cup-related development of last week came not from the national team’s narrow 1–0 victory over Chile but from Sami Khedira. Some 15 weeks after rupturing a cruciate ligament in his right knee the rock-solid defensive midfielder has upped his sports rehab programme to include running drills.
“My biggest desire is to play at the World Cup,” declared Khedira, who updated national TV viewers on his recovery during a popular Saturday evening sports magazine show. "I intend to give it everything I have and fight until the last possible day. That’s what I’ve promised the coach," the 26-year-old said.
Recovery most at risk "between months four and six"
Khedira was joined in the studio by knee specialist Dr. Ulrich Boenisch. The renowned surgeon operated on the player last November less than 24 hours after the Real Madrid midfielder sustained the serious injury. Boenisch sought to dampen rising expectations of an abnormally swift recovery. Only 20 years ago the usual recovery period after cruciate ligament damage was 12 months, he said, but nowadays supporters and the media have come to believe a player might be fit again within six months. However, this only applies to three out of every seven patients, warned Boenisch, "and the risk of a relapse is at its greatest between the fourth and sixth months."
The Augsburg-based specialist, who treats some 300 cases of cruciate ligament damage every year, advised that Khedira would inevitably arrive at the World Cup with the healing process incomplete even if his recovery follows an optimal course. The nerve fibres responsible for neuromuscular coordination, the term used to describe the nervous system’s efficient control of muscle groups, will under no circumstances be completely healed by the summer. "He’d be taking a risk," advised Boenisch, although the specialist also had words of encouragement: "If anyone can do it it’s Sami. He so strong mentally."
In any case, the player himself will take the final decisions regarding his fitness and availability. Doctors and support staff can offer helpful advice, but ultimate responsibility lies with the 26-year-old. "It’s important I remain patient for the time being," commented Khedira. "I still have a long way to go."
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The most positive World Cup-related development of last week came not from the national team’s narrow 1–0 victory over Chile but from Sami Khedira. Some 15 weeks after rupturing a cruciate ligament in his right knee the rock-solid defensive midfielder has upped his sports rehab programme to include running drills.
“My biggest desire is to play at the World Cup,” declared Khedira, who updated national TV viewers on his recovery during a popular Saturday evening sports magazine show. "I intend to give it everything I have and fight until the last possible day. That’s what I’ve promised the coach," the 26-year-old said.
Recovery most at risk "between months four and six"
Khedira was joined in the studio by knee specialist Dr. Ulrich Boenisch. The renowned surgeon operated on the player last November less than 24 hours after the Real Madrid midfielder sustained the serious injury. Boenisch sought to dampen rising expectations of an abnormally swift recovery. Only 20 years ago the usual recovery period after cruciate ligament damage was 12 months, he said, but nowadays supporters and the media have come to believe a player might be fit again within six months. However, this only applies to three out of every seven patients, warned Boenisch, "and the risk of a relapse is at its greatest between the fourth and sixth months."
The Augsburg-based specialist, who treats some 300 cases of cruciate ligament damage every year, advised that Khedira would inevitably arrive at the World Cup with the healing process incomplete even if his recovery follows an optimal course. The nerve fibres responsible for neuromuscular coordination, the term used to describe the nervous system’s efficient control of muscle groups, will under no circumstances be completely healed by the summer. "He’d be taking a risk," advised Boenisch, although the specialist also had words of encouragement: "If anyone can do it it’s Sami. He so strong mentally."
In any case, the player himself will take the final decisions regarding his fitness and availability. Doctors and support staff can offer helpful advice, but ultimate responsibility lies with the 26-year-old. "It’s important I remain patient for the time being," commented Khedira. "I still have a long way to go."
