Everett Recovers from Knee Injury

Boston Red Sox center fielder Carl Everett returned to play on Saturday after missing 33 games due to a knee injury. Everett had been on the disabled list since June 22nd after straining the medial collateral ligament in his right knee.

Everett injured his knee chasing a fly ball in Tampa Bay on June 21st. He completed a week-long rehabilitation program in Florida, then took off another four weeks. The swelling in his knee did not subside quickly because Everett was hesitant to take anti-inflammatory medications due to an aspirin allergy.

Earlier in his career, Everett injured his left knee and claims it took him three years to get back to normal health. Prior to his injury, Everett was batting .284 with nine home runs and 42 RBIs.

In his first game back, Everett went 0-4. The Red Sox lost 3-1 to the Chicago White Sox.

The medial collateral ligament runs from the inside of the femur, or thighbone, to the inside of the tibia, or shinbone. The MCL, as it is commonly known, works with the other three major ligaments in the knee joint to stabilize it. A sprain to the ligament is usually treated conservatively—that is, without surgery—until it regains strength enough to stabilize the joint.

To read more about MCL injuries, click here.