Dr. Williams, who performed Purce's ACL reconstruction surgery, explains why ACL tears are increasingly common among female athletes, the biggest mistakes athletes make after ACL surgery, and what it takes to return safely to sport.

The conversation also explores the debate over playing on turf versus grass, the risks associated with early youth sports specialization, strategies for preventing lower extremity injuries, and Dr. Williams' ranking of the most challenging lower-limb injuries athletes can face.

Listen to the full podcast here: Confessions of an Elite Athlete with Midge Purce.

Read the announcement at dcunited.com. 

In The New York Times, Snehal Patel, PT, MPT, SCS, physical therapist at HSS, explained, “When top athletes get injured, rehab becomes their job. They might spend hours each day on strength, conditioning and bodywork treatments, as well as talk therapy with a sports psychologist.” 

While professional athletes often have access to extensive resources, injuries and recovery are experiences shared by athletes of all ages and abilities. Some recreational athletes told the publication that following recovery stories online helped them better understand and prioritize their own rehabilitation process. HSS experts emphasize that anyone recovering from an injury should seek appropriate medical guidance to support a safe and effective return to activity. 

Read the full article at nytimes.com. A subscription is required to access.

“I couldn’t believe how he was moving out there,” Porter said, praising Irving’s ability to get to the basket and finish plays despite the significant knee injury.

Read the full article at Yardbarker.com.

The article was also published in Yahoo! Sports, The Sporting News, and Heavy.com.  

In an update shared by the Calgary Flames, team rehabilitation sports physiotherapist Scott Cyr described Dr. Su as "one of the world's leading specialists" in hip resurfacing surgery.

Just one week after surgery, Huberdeau reported that his recovery was progressing well and that his body was responding positively to treatment. 

Huberdeau joined the Flames in 2022 following a blockbuster trade from the Florida Panthers and later signed the largest contract in franchise history. As he prepares for the next chapter of his career, the veteran forward is focused on recovery and returning to the ice

Read the full article at Yardbarker.com.

In recent comments, Haliburton shared that he and Jones connected during their recoveries, noting that having the same surgeon helped spark conversations throughout the rehabilitation process.

Read the full article at clutchpoints.com. 

This article also published in Yahoo! Sports.

They took photos, handed out merch, and answered the kids' most pressing questions like, “how tall are you?”

HSS is the official Hospital of the Brooklyn Nets, proudly serving the team since 2004, following the organization from New Jersey to Brooklyn to offer continuous world-class orthopedic care for the athletes.

The segments aired on News 12 Long Island and News 12 Brooklyn, and also appeared on MSN.com, PIX 11 Morning News, PIX 11 New York Nightcap and Spectrum News NY1 (News All Night).

Listen to the full episode at ESPN West Palm Tonight.

“I remember walking up to the batter’s box and, for the first time, feeling confident,” Apgar said. “My legs weren’t shaking. I was standing there thinking, ‘I’m about to hit the crap out of this ball!’”

Apgar grounded out in her first at-bat, but the outcome was beside the point. The moment represented something far more meaningful than a result in the scorebook.

“I feel like my teammates now,” she said.

Read the full article at mlb.com.

On the injury, Brunson said: “I just knew that the opportunity rarely presents itself, you know, to be in a position like that. So I just wasn’t going to let something that seemed minor take me out. So, just whatever needed to be done, just focus on it afterwards.”

Brunson said his wrist would remain in a cast for roughly six more weeks before rehab begins, with a target of being ready by September. That timeline lines up well with training camp and preseason action in October, meaning New York’s title defense shouldn’t be disrupted.

Read the full article at heavy.com.

The article also explores the growing focus on Achilles injuries in professional sports and the evolving treatment approaches that are improving outcomes for athletes. Dr. O'Malley expressed confidence in both players' recoveries, noting their commitment to the rehabilitation process and predicting a "return to greatness." 

Read the full article at indystar.com. A subscription is required to access. 

In a social media update to his Instagram story, Tiafoe credited Dr. Carlson and the HSS team for successfully diagnosing and treating the condition: “Big S/O to Dr. Michelle Carlson and the Hospital for Special Surgery team. They were able to diagnose and take out a cyst that has been causing some issues for some time now. Everything went well and I appreciate all of the messages and support. I'll be back soon.” 

Read the full article at tennisuptodate.com. The story can also be found on Yardbarker, Yahoo! Sports, MSN, motorcyclesports.net, Tennis Temple, Tennis Head, Tennis World USA, Daily Express, Pro Football & Sports Network and Essentially Sports.

As the physician helping keep NBA and WNBA athletes performing at an elite level, Riley J. Williams III, MD, has a front-row seat to the science of longevity. Now, he's applying those lessons to his own fitness routine.

In a recent Super Age article, Dr. Williams, Chief of the Sports Medicine Institute at HSS and Medical Director for the Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty, discusses the fitness habits that help him stay strong and active at 60, including regular strength training, daily mobility exercises, and a long-term approach to health and longevity.

Read the full article at superage.com.

Watkins, 25, was ​injured during the NBA ⁠Summer League in Las ​Vegas. The procedure on his ​knee was performed by Riley J. Williams III, MD, Chief of the Sports Medicine Institute at HSS.

Read the full article at reuters.com.

Additional coverage:

• nytimes.com. A subscription is required to access.
• miamiherald.com.
• yardbarker.com.

Irolla is building a prosthetic for Apgar with a gel liner and a hook extension that is designed to fit around the bat and provide a more secure attachment. Doctors used some of the bones in Apgar’s left leg and foot to help strengthen her arm when she was a kid, so HSS also is creating custom foot orthotics for her with built-in rigid plates.

“She’s very open to trying new things. She just wants to perform at the highest level and everything that she can do to get there,” Irolla said. “It’s really nice to have somebody be that open and creative and motivated.”

Apgar has no feeling in her nub. During one visit with Irolla, she tried on a prosthetic that mimicked the sensation of touch.

“It was the first time that I had held a bat and it felt like I was holding it with two hands. So I started tearing up,” she said. “It was such a mind-blowing feeling.”

Read the full article at apnews.com.

This follow up procedure was recommended by Riley J. Williams III, MD, Chief of the Sports Medicine Institute at HSS, to put his ACL injury behind him for good.

Read the full article at on3.com.

Listen to the episode at player.captivate.fm.

“Shout out to Hospital for Special Surgery over in New York City. They took care of me. They got me back really quick. I got back in a record time of like eight months or so. Actually, I really got cleared in seven, but I returned to TV in eight. But I’m feeling really good. I’m feeling stronger, and I’m ready to do some amazing things now,” said Navarro.

Read the full article at sports.co.it.

Rather than the “run until you drop” philosophy of the 1980s, strategies promote tissue repair and energy recovery after intense training, Dr. Williams explained.

“These high-functioning players are very valuable, so you want to watch them, you want to preserve them, you want to give them feedback on a day-to-day basis with regard to how can we best preserve their ability,” continued Dr. Williams.

Surgical advances and physical therapy are also having an impact. Torn ligaments and Achilles injuries that used to be devastating can be surmounted with targeted rehabilitation to prevent muscle loss during recovery.

“The list of career-ending injuries has significantly decreased over the past 20 years,” he shared.

Read the full article at bloomberg.com. A subscription is required to access.

Dr. Scott shares how she got involved in professional basketball, her role as lead physician for the Knicks, her favorite parts of the job and more for the outlet's “Medical Mavericks” series, which features interviews with healthcare professionals working in unconventional fields of health and medicine.

Read the full article at medpagetoday.com.

Brunson scored 45 points in an epic Game 5 performance against the Spurs in the NBA Finals to seal the Knicks' first title since 1973.

Read the full article at nypost.com.

At the center of that effort is Daphne Scott, MD, sports medicine physician at HSS, who oversees the day-to-day medical care and management of the New York Knicks. She is one of only six women in her position in the 30-team league, according to the National Basketball Association. 

In a recent interview with Crain's New York Business, Dr. Scott reflected on the Knicks championship season, her career in sports medicine, and the role physicians play in supporting elite athletes.

Read the full article at crainsnewyork.com. A subscription is required to access. 

Dr. Williams shared insights on the planning, preparation, and medical considerations involved in helping keep players and fans safe during one of the world's largest sporting events.

Watch the interview at foxweather.com.

Watch the full interview at onnj.com.

Host, Ayesha Rascoe, spoke with Dr. Williams about aging athletes, and how folks can stay in the game long-term at both the professional and recreational level. 

Listen to the interview at npr.org.

Gabriella E. Ode, MD, sports medicine surgeon at HSS reflects this approach, emphasizing that success is not defined by the procedure alone but by whether patients are able to return to the activities and quality of life that matter most to them.

From shared decision-making to recovery, access to care, and multidisciplinary collaboration, her approach reflects a broader movement in medicine: improving not just the operation, but everything that surrounds it.

Read the full article at beckersspine.com.

"The 2026 FIFA World Cup presents unique logistical challenges because it’s being hosted across three countries and 16 venues,” said Dr. Williams. “Unlike previous tournaments that were largely confined to a single country, some teams will be required to undertake extensive air travel across multiple time zones. Frequent travel can disrupt normal sleep patterns, alter dietary routines, and contribute to both physical and mental fatigue.”

“Over the course of a five-week tournament, these cumulative physical demands place substantial stress on the musculoskeletal system. Managing lower-extremity fatigue becomes essential for maintaining both performance and injury prevention. Performance staff closely monitor player workloads and use individualized training and recovery programs to ensure athletes can recover between matches,” Dr. Williams shared.

Read the full article at mensjournal.com.

Read the full article at syracuse.com.

“The most common injuries in elite soccer involve the lower extremities, particularly the ankle, knee, thigh, and calf,” Dr. Williams said. “Ankle sprains, hamstring strains, and calf strains are among the injuries we see most frequently in professional players. These injuries are largely related to the acceleration, deceleration, cutting, and sprinting demands that are inherent to the sport.”

“During a tournament such as the World Cup, players are exposed to repeated high-intensity efforts, significant physical loads, and substantial psychological pressure. In my opinion, the elevated intensity of competition increases the stress placed on the lower extremities and may contribute to a heightened risk of ACL injury over the course of the tournament,” Dr. Williams explained.

Read the full article at mensjournal.com. This article was also syndicated to AOL.com and Yahoo! Sports.

Dr. Allen is a leader in orthopedic sports medicine who has spent decades caring for elite athletes, serving as the lead team orthopedist for the New York Knicks. He was recently honored by the Knicks organization for his 20 years of dedicated service.

Read the full article at jamaicaobserver.com.

Sarr was injured during an offseason workout and is expected to make a full recovery before next season.

Read the full article at nba.com.

It’s more than 20 years since the U.S. hosted a FIFA World Cup and in the coming weeks, thousands of expectant fans from all over the world are due to jam-pack its stadiums in anticipation of soccer greatness. Behind the scenes, however, an essential strategy for keeping the athletes healthy is in play, and Dr. Williams will be integral to this process for the New York and New Jersey area. His role will include the coordination of medical care during one of the world’s most demanding tournaments.

“Traditionally, the World Cup is the most viewed sporting event worldwide. I cannot stress how much of an honor and privilege it is to have the World Cup final being played here in the New York/New Jersey area. I have been a team physician for over 25 years and the ability to participate in this esteemed event is the cherry on top of what has already been a very satisfying and professionally fulfilling part of my career.” expressed Dr. Williams.

“I am humble that FIFA would trust me with this role,” he continued. “And after over two years of detailed preparation for this specific event, I look forward to the games and all the energy and excitement that I’m sure will be a part of the tournament!”

Read the full article at muscleandfitness.com. 

Barlow starred at Dumont High School and was the North Jersey Boys Basketball Player of the Year in 2021. That year, he averaged 27 points and 17 rebounds during the COVID-shortened season.

The free show will be held Friday, June 26 at Passaic County Technical Institute, where Player of the Year awards will be handed out for 34 different sports. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the show begins at 7 p.m.

Read the full article at northjersey.com.

Baptiste shared the following message on her social media accounts: “It was scary, but I did it. The surgery went well and the recovery has begun. Thank you to the entire team at HSS (Hospital for Special Surgery) for making this process so smooth and pleasant. A big thank you to Riley Williams (the surgeon) for repairing the disaster I had caused to my knee.” 

Read the full article at tennistemple.com.

Read the full article at onnj.com.

The New York/New Jersey area will host matches, including the final, taking place in East Rutherford, N.J., at MetLife Stadium. Dr. Williams will serve as the liaison between FIFA and local medical providers, coordinating 24-hour medical care for all athletes and FIFA officials competing at the New York/New Jersey World Cup location.

Read the full article at sportico.com.

In honor of May as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, the Amazin’ Mets Foundation and HSS continued the Mets on the Move initiative, stepping up to the plate to teach Queens students the importance of staying active. The program brings interactive workout days to elementary schools across the borough, combining fun with lessons on health and wellness.

As part of the effort, HSS developed a curriculum that helps students learn the ins and outs of the human body and the fundamentals of safe movement. 

Read the full article at qchron.com.

Jones’ surgery was performed by Martin O’Malley, MD, foot and ankle surgeon at HSS, who also performed Achilles repairs on NBA stars Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics and Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers.

Read the full article at yardbarker.com.

DiVincenzo‘s operation was performed by Martin O’Malley, MD, foot and ankle surgeon at HSS. Dr. O'Malley's name carries enormous significance in NBA circles, having performed the same procedure on Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum last May, less than 24 hours after Tatum suffered an identical injury.

Dr. O’Malley is known for using the SpeedBridge technique, which reinforces the repaired tendon with an anchor-based support structure to accelerate healing. The method has reshaped how NBA franchises approach Achilles recovery. A catastrophic injury that once ended careers is increasingly viewed as a setback rather than an NBA death sentence.

Read the full article at lastwordonsports.com.

DiVincenzo underwent Achilles repair surgery less than 24 hours after his injury with Martin O’Malley, MD, foot and ankle surgeon at HSS, the same surgeon who repaired Tatum’s Achilles injury in 2025.

That connection matters. Tatum reportedly contacted DiVincenzo immediately after the injury as he fully understood the emotional rollercoaster attached to an Achilles rupture. Tatum’s own return in under 10 months has now become a source of motivation across NBA rehab circles.

Read the full article at hardwoodheroics.com.

Dr. Manning shared that no studies have shown that smelling salts improves performance. She said smelling salts have only been approved for fainting because of the temporary increase of blood flow to the brain, and increased heart and respiratory rates can wake a person up.

“There’s not really a medical basis behind it in that some people report that they feel more alert when they use it,” Dr. Manning explained. “But basically, all of the studies have really shown that there’s no effect on athletic performance by doing that.”

Read the full article at nytimes.com/athletic. A subscription is required to access. 

Recovery timelines can be harder to pinpoint due to the nature of arthroscopic surgery and loose bodies. Unlike a UCL reconstruction surgery, there’s a wider range of potential actions, according to Dr. Josh Dines from the Hospital for Special Surgery.

“You’re not always treating the same pathology,” said Dr. Dines. “You might be repairing things, or you might be trying to stimulate growth. Others are a cleanup; you’re not trying to get anything to heal.

“With an elbow scope, there’s a bunch of different things that you’re doing. Some people are back in less than two months. Others are five months.”

Read the full article at mlb.com.

The procedure was performed by Martin O'Malley, MD, foot and ankle surgeon at HSS. Ingram is expected to fully recover and be ready for training camp in September. 

Read the full article at NBA.com.

Additional coverage: nbcsports.com, sports.yahoo.com, and yardbarker.com.

It's hard to sell pro athletes on a knee replacement. Olympic skiing champion Lindsey Vonn underwent a partial knee replacement in 2024 after years of chronic pain and multiple surgeries even after retiring from competition.

The robotic-arm-assisted technology used by Dr. Roche enabled him to scan her knee, remove the damaged bone in a minimally invasive way and then seal all the cracks and pockets with titanium implants. The robots keep getting more precise, and the titanium keeps getting more durable, but the real breakthrough was using the technique on a pro athlete in the first place. A few months later, during physical therapy, Vonn did a single-leg box jump on her right leg, and “I cried because I hadn’t done that in 10 years,” she said.

Read the full article at nytimes.com. A subscription is required to access. 

The procedure was performed by Riley J. Williams, MD, Chief of the Sports Medicine Institute at HSS and Benedict Nwachukwu, MD, MBA, sports medicine surgeon at HSS.

Read the full article at espn.co.uk.

“While it’s not an open fracture dislocation, it can be a devastating injury for athletes as it takes a long time to be strong enough to return to play and can leave them with a permanent amount of some weakness,” said Dr. Elliott.

“Many elite athletes have returned to a high level of play post Achilles rupture and repair. There are examples across sports – Football (Soccer), American Football, Basketball – of top players making successful returns," he continued.

“Football forwards may lose a little of their top sprint speed, but they can still be highly effective and successful competitors.”

Read the full article at bloodred.substack.com.

The procedure was performed within 24 hours of the injury, which DiVincenzo suffered during game four of the team’s playoff series. 

Dr. O’Malley previously performed Achilles repair surgery on Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum in May 2025, who returned to play in about 10 months.

Read the full article at beckersspine.com.

Dr. O’Malley drew widespread attention after performing surgery to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon sustained by Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo.

Read the full article at beckersspine.com.

Dr. O'Malley also repaired the torn Achilles of Jayson Tatum in May 2025. The fact that the procedure took place within 24 hours of DiVincenzo's injury should help with the recovery. 

Read the full article at cbssports.com.