Ben Simmons suffered a torn right Achilles tendon during a team practice, resulting in the Sacramento Kings guard missing the remainder of the season, ESPN reported on Oct. 19. The injury occurred after Simmons had already missed an entire year following back surgery, facing a 546-day gap between appearances before returning to the NBA floor.
The Practice Court Injury and Recovery Timeline
The tear did not happen during a high-stakes, competitive game, but rather inside a routine team workout in Sacramento. Simmons posted on social media afterward to indicate that the setback does not mark the end of his career. Prior to the injury, his preseason numbers had climbed to averages of 10.5 points, 4 boards, and 4 assists per game, offering visible proof of physical progress after more than a season away from active rosters.
Warming Up Incorrectly on Amateur Courts
For everyday basketball players tracking the newsfeed, the injury highlights persistent training mistakes made during the opening minutes on local courts. A case reported in March by Guangming Daily via Xiaoxiang Morning Herald underscored the danger: a 34-year-old basketball enthusiast named He took the court without a proper warm-up, crashed with an opponent during the opening possession while chasing a rebound, and tore his left anterior cruciate ligament.
Medical guidelines recommend devoting 10 to 15 minutes to warm-ups, beginning with light jogging and joint mobility work before moving on to targeted static or dynamic stretching. Many players condense this routine into quick ankle rotations and five minutes of shooting, leaving muscle tendons unprepared for explosive stops and starts. Li Baojun noted in the same report that after winter dormancy, human muscle strength and endurance drop, making sudden high-intensity bursts prime catalysts for ligament and muscle trauma. Weekend players who sit at desks all week and sprint immediately upon stepping onto hardwood duplicate that exact risk profile.
The Misuse of Protective Gear and Rigid Equipment
Sports medicine specialists maintain that knee braces and ankle supports belong primarily on previously injured joints to absorb external forces like collisions or awkward landings. Braces do not substitute for a warm-up or protect tendons from internal explosive loads, which explains how Simmons sustained a non-contact Achilles tear during a closed practice.
In one clinical case, a 15-year-old high school student in Hangzhou wore carbon-fiber running shoes for daily wear and repetitive rope skipping, resulting in acute Achilles tendonitis. Long-term reliance on rigid carbon plates isolates the foot from ground feedback, causing supporting muscles to atrophy much like a knee joint kept permanently inside a brace.
Recognizing Symptoms and Post-Injury Recovery
An acute Achilles tendon rupture typically presents with an audible pop during takeoff, often described by athletes as feeling like a kick to the heel. While many individuals attempt to walk immediately on the injured leg, delayed medical intervention complicates long-term healing.
Rehabilitation protocols have shifted away from traditional six-week cast immobilizations. Modern randomized controlled trials show that early protected weight-bearing combined with ankle pump exercises inside a supportive brace yields superior functional recovery without elevating reinjury risks. Weibo Health outlines a rigorous threshold for athletic clearance: complete absence of pain during daily routines and training, a steady gait without a limp, the ability to perform 10 single-leg heel raises, solid single-leg balance, and psychological readiness.
Financial Terms and Contract Safeguards
While ordinary recreational players face out-of-pocket rehabilitation costs and time away from work, professional athletes navigate specialized medical structures. According to domestic basketball media reports, Simmons’ current one-year short-term contract contains a重伤薪资保障条款 (severe injury wage protection clause) that shifts his salary to fully guaranteed despite the season-ending diagnosis.
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