49ers WR Ricky Pearsall's road to recovering from PCL surgery

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall will not play this season. According to the team, Pearsall requires season-ending PCL surgery on his right knee after injuring the ligament week 4 of last season.

What happens during surgery

Dr. Rick Lehman, an orthopedic and sports medicine surgeon, explained that medical professionals will not know the full extent of Pearsall's injury until the procedure is underway.

"The big thing in PCL damage is joint breakdown," Lehman said. "When you get recalcitrant and swelling like Ricky has, you have to worry that there's some joint breakdown that is going to slow the rehab process."

Assessing potential knee damage

Despite the concerns regarding swelling, Lehman noted that current indications show no signs of major structural complications.

"There have been no reports of a meniscus tear, there have been no reports of joint damage," Lehman said. "My assumption at this point would be, because no one has looked inside his knee, he doesn't have degenerative arthritis or a lot of break down. That would be a game changer and that would alter his end result."

Long-term recovery outlook 

The medical outlook for recovery remains largely positive. 

Lehman noted that generally, 75% of athletes who undergo PCL surgery return at 100%. He added that right now, there is no reason Pearsall would not be able to make a full 100 percent recovery.

San Francisco 49ers