Utah Jazz ahead Kelly Olynyk, proper, talks to protect Mike Conley, who sits on the courtroom after being injured throughout recreation towards the Portland Path Blazers in Portland, Ore., Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022. Conley is recovering and might be evaluated each day. Craig Mitchelldyer, Related Press
Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley reacts because the Jazz take possession throughout recreation towards the Phoenix Suns on the Vivint Area in Salt Lake Metropolis on Friday, Nov. 18, 2022. The Jazz gained 134-133. Kristin Murphy, Deseret Information
Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley is at the moment sidelined with a knee damage.
Extra particularly, following an MRI that cleared him of any vital structural injury, Conley was identified with a left leg popliteus pressure.
You could be questioning, what's a popliteus? And, what extra ought to we learn about this damage? I questioned the identical issues.
So, to higher perceive the scenario I spoke with Dr. Daniel Kharrazi, a sports activities medication and orthopedic surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles and a former orthopedic guide to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Under is our dialog, which has been evenly edited for readability:
Deseret Information: May you begin by simply explaining what and the place the popliteus is?
Daniel Kharrazi: The popliteus muscle and tendon is mainly a muscle that has a tendinous portion that attaches to the bone, on the posterolateral nook of the knee. So, in the event you divide your knee into an interior and outer half, the interior half being the medial half and the outer half being the lateral, the popliteus is the muscle that’s within the posterolateral nook — so, the outer half and in the direction of the again of the knee.”
DN: Is that this simply one other approach of claiming a knee pressure? Or, does the popliteus pressure discuss with one thing extra particular?
DK:That is extra particular as a result of knee strains and sprains normally suggest both the ACL, MCL, meniscal tears and different issues like that. However this particularly refers back to the muscle tendon advanced often called the popliteus muscle tendon advanced that mainly provides some stability to the posterolateral nook of the knee.
DN: What causes a pressure of the popliteus muscle and what’s the restoration usually like?
DK: Hyperextension, some form of torque on the knee may cause it. Fortunately for the participant, that is one which usually is simpler to heal than a few of the different ones and it’s normally wherever from a two- to four-week restoration, relying on the extent of the pressure.
DN: Having been instructed that the participant in query, Conley, may probably return inside a two-week interval, does that suggest that the damage is gentle?
DK: That’s normally the case with a grade one or two, which is the decrease form of pressure. It’s way more gentle, and people can heal inside a few weeks.
DN: Does a pressure of the popliteus suggest that any of the encircling tissue is weak? What are the issues that would encompass such a damage?
DK: Nicely, this isn't a quite common damage, however it might occur in isolation. Generally additionally it is mixed with meniscus accidents or capsular sprains of the knee however it seems like they acquired an MRI that reveals that there was no involvement of the opposite buildings — the lateral meniscus, the lateral collateral ligament, the encircling popliteal fibula, and different ligaments that give stability to the knee. That’s the most important take-home level, that this was remoted.
It’s not usually a difficulty that provides trigger for future concern. Like, an ACL damage can develop into a difficulty if it’s not surgically managed. Often, as soon as the popliteus heals, it heals and is steady in future play.
DN: What does therapy and restoration appear like for such a damage?
DK: Typically, it’s resting to permit the muscle fibers which have been strained to heal. Generally icing and conservative measures like anti-inflammatories, and even typically a knee assist like a knee brace for brief time period will help. However usually, it’s one thing that’s pretty benign and the affected person recovers from totally.

Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley reacts because the Jazz take possession throughout recreation towards the Phoenix Suns on the Vivint Area in Salt Lake Metropolis on Friday, Nov. 18, 2022. The Jazz gained 134-133.
Kristin Murphy, Deseret Information