#Injury Report For Ben Simmons: Subluxation Of Left Patella

Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers left his team’s game Wednesday afternoon with an apparent knee injury, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. However, his MRI shows no damage, and Simmons is considered day-to-day at the moment.

Near the fourth quarter of the game, Simmons grabbed an offensive rebound, dribbled out to the corner, and dumped the ball down to Al Horford in the post. Horford called for an offensive foul on the play, and after the whistle, Simmons started flexing his leg, and called it quits the remainder of the game.

He then made his way to the locker room, with Sixers GM Elton Brand.

Simmons was able to walk off unassisted, and didn’t appear to have any major complications as he made his way back.

In February, before the league was shut down due to coronavirus, Simmons was sidelined with nerve impingement in his lower back. There wasn’t a set date that he’d be able to return, but the four months of cancelled games gave him plenty of time to recover.

Hopefully his knee issue will prove to be nothing, and he can get back out on the court. The exact nature of his injury is unknown at this time, but the outlook is good. Adrian Wejnarowski tweeted yesterday, “early indications on Ben Simmons are encouraging – no swelling or pain in left knee after leaving court.”

The Sixers went on to beat the Wizards on Wednesday, and they’re now one game behind the Indiana Pacers for fifth place in the Eastern Conference.

08/06 11:57AM UPDATE: Shams Charania tweeted moments ago, “Official diagnosis on Ben Simmons: Subluxation of the left patella, listed out and treatment options are currently being considered.”

What Is “Left Patella Subluxation”?

A subluxing patella (kneecap) is a temporary, partial dislocation of the kneecap from its normal position in the groove in the end of the thigh bone (femur). This groove is located between two bumps at the end of the thigh bone called the femoral condyles.

Nonsurgical treatment includes:

• RICE (rest, icing, compression, and elevation)
• nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
• physical therapy
• crutches or a cane to take weight off the knee
• braces or casts to immobilize the knee
• specialized footwear to decrease pressure on the kneecap

Surgical treatment includes:

• Medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction
• Tibial tuberosity transfer
• Lateral release

How Long Will It Take To Recover?

Normally, people are assigned to physical therapy two or three times each week for six weeks, and the physical therapist will help evaluate when you are ready to get back into sports and other strenuous activity.

If the surgical route is chose, the recovery process is longer. It may take four to nine months before you’re able to resume sports, though you should be able to resume light activities within two to six weeks.