On Wednesday, the Detroit Lions held their first day of training camp, and prior to the first practice of camp, head coach Dan Campbell spoke to reporters and revealed that rookie DL Josh Paschal is dealing with a sports hernia situation and that he has been placed on the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list.
“He’s doing well, but it’ll be a little bit,” Campbell said. “But he’s doing good. He’s progressing. That’s why he’s not out there.”
A day later, Campbell confirmed that Paschal, who was the Lions’ second-round pick out of Kentucky, had surgery during the offseason to address the issue.
Why Detroit Lions rookie Josh Paschal could miss training camp
Campbell told reporters that Josh Paschal underwent surgery in “late spring, early summer”.
As noted by Jeff Risdon of Detroit Lions Wire, Paschal did participate in OTAs during the spring, which would mean he had his surgery sometime after May 15.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, recovery time for a sports hernia is general 6-12 weeks before an athlete can return to their sport.
The treatment and recovery for a sports hernia (athletic pubalgia) depend on the type and severity of the injury. In general, people who have a sports hernia and go through physical therapy treatment experience significant improvement in their symptoms after six to eight weeks of physical therapy.
Approximately 90% of surgeries, both open and laparoscopic, to fix sports hernias (athletic pubalgia) are considered successful. With post-surgery physical therapy and rehabilitation, people with a sports hernia can usually fully return to their sport or activities between six and 12 weeks.
Assuming the Lions decide to be cautious and not rush Josh Paschal back, there is a chance that he misses training camp completely, which would also put him in jeopardy of missing the start of the regular season.
That being said, if Paschal has a speedy recovery, the Lions could remove him from the PUP list and he could begin practicing.
