Danilo Gallinari, recovering from knee surgery, says he regrets decision to go to Steadman Clinic
Many were puzzled when Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari underwent reconstructive knee surgery early this year, nine months after originally suffering a torn ACL in April, 2013.
Gallinari was reportedly advised by famous knee surgeon Dr. Richard Steadman to have the ligament repaired using his "healing response" as opposed to reconstructed, but the Italian eventually needed reconstructive surgery anyway.
With Gallinari finally closing in on his NBA return, the 26-year-old told Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport that he regrets his decision to go with Steadman, whose clinic is close to Denver in nearby Vail, Colorado.
“If I could turn back time, I would not have gone to Steadman. I will write a book on that year and a half in my life with many incidents I haven’t revealed yet,” said the Denver Nuggets player.
“It’s best I don’t talk now, as otherwise I could get too fired up. I’ll only say that a month after my operation, Steadman declared he would never have operated again.
“I made the wrong choice, but he was considered one of the best and his clinic was an hour’s drive from Denver.
“Now I see the Giuseppe Rossi case, plus Westbrook, Vonn and who knows how many other non-famous athletes who paid for trusting in him.”
Russell Westbrook, who underwent surgery to repair a meniscus injury at the Steadman Clinic in 2013, ended up needing another surgery to repair a loose stitch later in the year. Italian footballer Giuseppe Rossi and American gold medal skier Lindsey Vonn, among a host of other big name athletes, have also been treated at the clinic over the years.
In addition to his long list of famous clients, Steadman is known for developing microfracture surgery, which sees clots from tiny fractures made in the bone form new cartilage. His "healing response" aims to reattach torn ligaments in a similar fashion.
In January, Steadman announced his retirement from surgical practice.
Gallinari's return to basketball will be a story worth watching in itself on a Nuggets team that has potential to make some noise again in the Western Conference, but him eventually breaking his silence on what exactly went down with regards to his knee procedures will be equally fascinating.