Let’s examine LeBron James’ treatment for peroneal tendinopathy in more detail as well as the reasons behind his absence from the Lakers vs. Bucks game.
LeBron James, the premier player for the Los Angeles Lakers, has missed most of the season due to an ankle injury. His injury has specifically been described as peroneal tendinopathy, which is the term for a tendon that runs down to the outside of the foot and around the outer (lateral) portion of the ankle, just below the bony protrusion known as the lateral malleolus.
LeBron has been handling the situation for the most part of the season, but when he missed the most recent game against the Milwaukee Bucks, his handling of the situation gained national attention. He advised TNT sideline reporter Chris Haynes prior to the competition that his foot management had to be “strategic.”
In the video that follows, I go into more detail on LeBron’s training regimen and why it’s different from other NBA players’. He works closely with his trainer Mike Mancias.
It is a true “day-to-day” evaluation, predicated on LeBron’s unparalleled familiarity with his own physique. Not too long after the team’s game against the Bucks, coach Darvin Ham also talked extensively about the process.
“We just take things one day at a time,” Ham said. “That’s all you can really do. Just the communication between Mike Mancias along with the rest of our performance team, myself, Rob Pelinka, and myself.”
As the games get closer to the end of the regular season and the play-in round, strategic management will become even more important.