The Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James will reportedly miss the start of the NBA season for the first time ever in his illustrious career. Yep, he’s played on opening night for 22 consecutive seasons, but it will likely be broken this time around as the league’s all-time leading scorer has been ruled out due to sciatica.
But what exactly is sciatica, and how serious is it? Should fans be worried?
What Is Sciatica?
Sciatica, according to the Mayo Clinic, refers to “pain that travels along the path of the sciatic nerve.” ESPN injury analyst Stephania Bell describes the sciatic nerve as originating in the lumbar (lower) spine and traveling down through the gluteal muscles and the hamstrings before branching into other smaller nerves in the lower leg and foot.
The Mayo Clinic further explains: “Sciatica most often happens when a herniated disk or an overgrowth of bone puts pressure on the lumbar spine nerve roots. This happens ‘upstream’ from the sciatic nerve. This causes inflammation, pain, and often some numbness in the affected leg.”
So, to be clear, sciatica isn’t an injury in itself but a symptom, with the underlying cause being irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve.
Should LeBron and Lakers Fans Be Worried?
The answer is, it’s too early to tell. Sciatica, according to existing medical literature, can be managed, and LeBron certainly has the discipline, resources, and medical team to do it right. In fact, mild cases can be resolved in a matter of a few weeks, and in this case, reports indicate that The King will be sidelined for three to four weeks—the usual recovery timetable for not-too-serious cases of sciatica.
Even so, the biggest variable is the underlying cause. If it’s serious, say a severe herniated disk that will require surgery, then recovery might take longer, as in a couple of months or more. But judging by initial reports, that doesn’t seem to be the case, although best believe that the Lakers and LeBron himself will be cautious in dealing with this condition.
At LeBron’s age and mileage, caution is both necessary and expected, and either party surely won’t risk aggravating a nerve issue that could derail an entire season.
So, for now, it looks like the situation is wait-and-see.
