San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey is trying something different with the recovery process for his Achilles tendinitis.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan on Monday in a conference call confirmed that McCaffrey went to Germany over the weekend to see a specialist about helping with his Achilles process. Shanahan didn’t have any specifics about which doctor the reigning Offensive Player of the Year saw.
It’s unclear whether this was planned or borne out of necessity because of an unforeseen complication. However, it stands to reason that the trip across the Atlantic doesn’t bode well for a return in Week 6, which is the earliest McCaffrey would be able to come back after being placed on IR ahead of Week 2.
McCaffrey isn’t the first professional athlete to go overseas for help with injury recovery.
Then-Colts quarterback Peyton Manning went abroad for stem cell treatment on his neck in 2011. A story from ESPN indicates Manning wasn’t the only NFL player to seek out such treatment in other countries. Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant took multiple trips to Europe for knee treatment late in his career.
It’s not clear exactly what McCaffrey did during his visit, but it’s certainly notable that he went overseas for help.
The superstar RB first started dealing with his Achilles injury back in Week 17 of lasts season, and the ailment wound up forcing him to sit out Week 18. He ended up sitting most of training camp to try and get healthy, and it looked like he’d be ready to go for the season opener.
He wound up missing the season opener and then went on IR the next week – a sign that the recovery process wasn’t going how San Francisco hoped. NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport also reported McCaffrey was likely to miss six or more weeks.
The 49ers are struggling without McCaffrey’s versatility in their backfield, and while their focus is on having him ready for the postseason, early signs this year show they may need him on the field just to get to the playoffs.
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