Breaking News: San Francisco 49ers Seeking to Accelerate Rehabilitation Process of Top RB Following Injury Setback.
The San Francisco 49ers have faced significant injury challenges in 2024, with Christian McCaffrey’s situation being particularly impactful. However, after consulting multiple specialists, it seems McCaffrey’s potential return this season remains a possibility.
The star running back has been dealing with achilles tendinitis due to a calf strain that began during training camp. McCaffrey aimed to return to the field quickly but encountered setbacks, resulting in his placement on injured reserve before Week 2.
Now, after several weeks of rest and a recent trip to Germany, there is encouraging news regarding his injury. Although surgery is not necessary, the 49ers plan to intensify his rehabilitation following Week 4. “We’d like to start hitting his rehab here harder on Monday,” stated 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan on Friday.
McCaffrey has struggled with this calf and achilles issue since late in the 2023 regular season, missing Week 18 to conserve his body for a potential deep playoff run. Throughout the offseason, he worked meticulously on recovery and training to manage the injury.
Despite these efforts, the issue reemerged, and after a significant setback during practice nearly a month ago, the 49ers opted to rest their key player. “We needed to quiet it down. The plan was to give it the time to do that and then thoughtfully ramp him back up,” said general manager John Lynch on KNBR this week. “He has people who have worked on his body for a long time… Now he’s back, and we’ll need to meet certain milestones to ramp him up carefully.”
While the exact treatments McCaffrey received in Germany remain unclear, speculation includes potential regenerative therapies like stem-cell treatment or platelet-rich plasma injections to promote tissue healing around the achilles.
However, even if treatments go well, McCaffrey may not return quickly, as he will need extended rest and rehabilitation following the procedure. Dr. Kenton Fibel, a sports medicine specialist, suggested that the injury may be more serious, indicating that recovery could take weeks or even months rather than just a couple of weeks. He emphasized that biologic procedures for tendons, particularly the achilles, typically require sufficient time for rest and healing.
If these predictions hold true, McCaffrey may face a prolonged recovery period. While there is hope he could return before the 49ers’ Week 9 bye, the team is committed to not rushing him back. His timeline will largely depend on how his achilles responds to treatment.
Ultimately, it appears the 49ers remain optimistic about McCaffrey’s availability at some point this season. “We’ll have a better idea in the next couple of weeks. He’s rested, seen many specialists, and we’ll assess his condition soon,” Shanahan noted on KNBR.
