Miami Heat backup point guard Beno Udrih will have surgery for a torn plantar plate in his right foot and is likely to miss the remainder of the season, the team announced Wednesday.
“It was tough news about Beno. I feel for him. He was really rounding into shape, really starting to get a comfort level with our organization,” head coach Erik Spoelstra told the Sun Sentinel. “You just feel for guys. At this point in the year, in terms of the team, it’s next man up. We’ll adjust accordingly. And we’ve been using the versatility anyway, so we’ll make those necessary adjustments, whatever is required.”
Udrih suffered the injury after playing just six minutes in the first half of Miami’s 101-93 overtime victory against Indiana on Monday. According to ESPN, an MRI exam on Tuesday revealed that he will need surgery to repair the damage.
“We’re going to do what we do, and that’s next guy got to come in and bring something different to the game,” Dwyane Wade said. “We’re going to miss what Beno brings as a veteran point guard, backup point guard for our team. So we have to fill a void. It’s not ideal for us at all.”
Dr. Ian S. Goldbaum, a podiatric physician and surgeon with over 30 years of experience, has treated many plantar plate tears throughout his tenure in medicine and can offer insight into what Udrih’s recovery might entail.
“A procedure will likely be done to stabilize the plantar plate,” said Dr. Goldbaum, who has offices in Delray Beach and Boynton Beach. “If that’s rupture, there’s always inflammation and the whole area becomes very painful. They will actually sew the plate back into position so it is unable to move side to side.
“Over the past five years, there have been a lot of advances in the technology used treat these ruptures. You’re actually stabilizing the capsule metatarsal area and the plantar plate.”
If Udrih’s tear is more complex, however, special plastic surgery techniques are sometimes needed in order to get the ligament ends together. Severe tears, meanwhile, occur when the plantar plate is pulled off the bone and involve using a special bone anchor to secure the ligament to the bone.
Typically recovery after direct repair of the plantar plate is about 4-8 weeks in healthy people. The plantar plate is strong ligament that takes time to heal, and there is no way dramatically expedite the healing process.
Dr. Goldbaum also notes that there are several other treatments that can be used in conjunction with surgery that compliment the healing process.
“In our practice, we can also use platelet-rich therapy treatment or our Erchonia cold laser in order to reduce the inflammation caused by a torn plantar plate,” said Dr. Goldbuam. “These treatments can be very beneficial in reducing inflammation prior to surgery.
In 36 games with the Heat, including five starts, Udrih has averaged 4.4 points, 2.5 assists and 1.8 rebounds.
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