From my perspective as an orthopaedic knee surgeon, unfortunately, Hill’s 2025 season is over. The timeline beyond that depends on the exact structures injured and what ultimately needs to be repaired.
A ‘knee dislocation’ means the knee was forced out of its normal alignment and is due to injuries to the surrounding stabilizing structures - including the ligaments and capsule. From the video - you can almost see what we call an injury to the posterolateral structures of the knee as the knee is put into a severe rotational torque. The ligaments on the outside of the knee (LCL), the outside capsule and structures (Popliteus, meniscus-capsule), the inner side (MCL, capsule, meniscus) as well as the inside (ACL/PCL) can all be injured. Although, these injuries come in different patterns, and severity varies with the direction and magnitude of the force. Most dislocations involve damage to one or more stabilizing ligaments—the ACL, PCL, MCL, and/or LCL—and can include meniscus, capsule, bone, and cartilage injury.
In the acute setting, our first priorities are the blood vessel behind the knee—the popliteal artery—and the peroneal nerve along the outer knee. An arterial injury is limb-threatening and must be identified and treated immediately to protect blood flow. A peroneal nerve injury can cause loss of foot and ankle control (foot drop) and sensory changes; recovery there can be prolonged and sometimes incomplete.
When the joint is grossly unstable or swelling is significant, we will sometimes stabilize the knee temporarily with an external fixator—a frame of bars and rods anchored into the femur and tibia outside the leg. That holds the knee temporarily in a safe position, protects any vascular repair if needed, and gives the soft tissues time to calm down before definitive ligament reconstruction.
We also monitor closely for compartment syndrome. After a high-energy injury, bleeding and swelling inside the tightly bound muscle compartments of the leg can drive pressures high enough to choke off circulation and nerve function. That is a surgical emergency requiring fasciotomies—releasing the compartments—to save muscle and nerve. It is rare, but one thing we monitor for very closely. The medical staff was totally on it - taking Hill to the hospital emergently to get this evaluated and stabilized.
Once limb safety is confirmed and swelling subsides, we move to staged ligament reconstruction. That timing is usually delayed to allow the knee to recover motion and the soft tissues to settle. The total rehabilitation timeline can be quite long—best case, on the order of 9–12 months, and more extensive injuries can push recovery to 12–18 months or longer, especially if there’s nerve damage or multiple reconstructions. Return to elite play is possible, but it’s individualized and depends on the specific injury pattern, surgical findings, and progress through rehab.
We want to wish Tyreek the best of luck in his recovery.
