Doctor explains what Lee’s shoulder injury means for Giants star originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Giants lost a key piece of their lineup on Monday when outfielder Jung Hoo Lee left. on the 10-day injured list with a dislocated left shoulder.
But the injury could have been worse for the South Korean star if it had occurred on his right side, according to Stanford Medicine’s Dr. Michael T. Freehill, who spoke with NBC Sports Bay Area about the implications for Lee going forward.
“I think as far as the shoulder being dislocated being his glove hand or his non-throwing hand, (it’s) better because there are certain subtleties to the throwing shoulder that should be considered,” Freehill said. “I think the rehab from a throwing standpoint would be longer if there was surgery. was necessary at some point, that is more complicated.
“And again, coming back from that is different. He also bats left-handed, which is also good because we worry more about the front shoulder than the top hand or the back shoulder. So, I think it’s a good option.” “If you’re going to have one dislocation instead of the other, I’d rather it be the glove hand.”
Lee suffered the injury in the Giants’ 6-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday at Oracle Park. He I leave the game in the first inning after crashing into the center field fence in an attempt to catch a fly ball.
While Giants manager Bob Melvin initially told reporters that Lee had suffered a separated shoulder, the team later clarified that it was a dislocation.
“Well, (a) dislocated shoulder means the ball was dislocated from the socket. The shoulder joint is more susceptible to dislocation than the other joints,” Freehill explained. “So in this particular case, just having seen the replay, that would mean that when his arm collided, most likely the humeral head or ball was dislocated in an anterior or inferior position of the socket that needs to be reattached.” in the joint.
“Which happened, I’m sure, in the locker room.”
Lee will meet with the team’s orthopedist, Dr. Ken Akizuki, on Monday, the Giants said, and the team will have a better idea of his rehab options and timeline after that. Still, it is expected to be a long absence.
No matter how long he is out, San Francisco will certainly feel the absence of its leadoff hitter and regular center fielder.