Celtics all-star point guard Kyrie Irving is out of the NBA playoffs due to a complication knee from prior knee surgery.

Irving fractured his patella (kneecap) in an injury during the NBA Finals on June 4, 2015. The fracture required surgery to hold the fracture together with two pieces of wire threaded through two screws while the bone healed. After the bone heals, patients can keep the wires and screws in place; however, the kneecap is a prominent area and the metal may become bothersome.

On March 24, they removed the wire only. The knot used to tighten the wire is often the most irritating part.

On April 7, they decided to remove the screws as well. When they removed the screws they encountered a low-grade infection. Bacteria can hide from the immune system alongside metal or other foreign material. Once the metal is removed, the infection should resolve.

With the metal out of place the holes in the bone make it a little weaker and at risk for re-fracture with jumping, falling or contact with another player. When the decision was made to remove the screws, it also became necessary to stay out of full-contact basketball for four to six months while the bone strengthens after removing the screws.

This article was made by Paul Bonilla and David Ring

Golden State Warriors star point guard Stephen Curry left the game late in the third quarter against the Atlanta Hawks on March 24 after teammate JaVale McGee collapsed on his left leg. Curry hobbled off the court gripping his left knee. Later, the team confirmed a grade two medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain.

The MCL connects the top of the tibia to the femur in a way that keeps the leg from buckling outward. Spraining (partial or complete tearing) the MCL is common in contact sports such as basketball or football. A grade two sprain means that there is substantial partial tearing (many fibers are torn), but that the ligament is still structurally sound. An MCL injury can be diagnosed on examination. An MRI is not particularly helpful, and the average person would not have an MRI. MRIs seem to be overused among athletes, probably because of the small chance that there is another injury (e.g. to the anterior cruciate ligament or ACL) and the pressure to return to play quickly.

MCL sprains heal without surgery. With partial tears, return to activity is based largely on comfort and risk tolerance. Keeping the knee moving is healthy. Sports places the ligament at risk of worse pathology if there is another injury.

This article was made by Paul Bonilla and David Ring