Valentino Rossi Injury Update
It’s been a bit over two weeks since Valentino Rossi underwent surgery on his right shoulder, and the nine-time world champion has entered his "first phase" of recovery. The Italian is hoping to be fully recovered for the first official tests of the 2011 MotoGP season at Sepang Feb. 1-3.
The 31-year-old Rossi had ten stitches removed this week by the Ducati Team rider’s specialist, Doctor Giuseppe Porcellini, one of two doctors who performed arthroscopic surgery on the supraspinatus tendon and glenoid ligament on Nov. 14 in Cattolica, Italy.
The recovery is going as planned, and Rossi’s physiotherapist says the first stage of his rehabilitation only places a "passive emphasis" on the MotoGP champ’s shoulder to avoid any complications around the healing joint.
According to Dr. Porcellini, ff things go as planned, Rossi should be able to perform active movements and exercises with the shoulder within 15 days.
Valentino Rossi (Ducati MotoGP) says: "I’ve started the rehabilitation on the shoulder and the situation is improving. It’s two weeks since the operation and I’ve now had the stitches removed by Doctor Porcellini."
"From today I’ll be back in the gym, at least working on the rest of my body, and to work on the shoulder even if it is passive so as not to lose any mobility."
"In about two weeks I will begin active work in the pool and gym to be ready for the three days of Testing in February (Sepang). We must make progress, and we hope to be fit in time for the first Test of 2011 with Ducati."
The shoulder injury was Rossi’s first of the 2010 MotoGP season, preceding his horrific accident during practice in Mugello. During that wreck, he broke his leg and missed that race and the subsequent three.
This was the first time Rossi failed to start an event in his professional racing career. If he started at Mugello MotoGP, it would have been his 231st consecutive start across all classes.
On top of the broken tibia, the-then Fiat Yamaha rider soon learned the shoulder injury appeared worse than expected; Rossi injured a tendon during the MX wreck, but never had any treatment. Although injured, VR 46 finished the 2010 MotoGP season in third place overall.
During the traditional post-season MotoGP tests at Valencia, Rossi could only manage 10th fastest on the first day, and 15th fastest on the second day aboard the Ducati GP11.
