Welcome to

In Street Clothes

Covering sports injuries from the perspective of a certified athletic trainer and backed by analytics.

Understanding Blake Griffin’s Staph Infection

Clippers forward Blake Griffin has been ruled out indefinitely after he developed a staph infection in his right elbow. The infection will require a surgical procedure to fix and Griffin will remain sidelined through the All-Star break.

A staph infection involves a specific classification of bacteria known as Staphylococcus. Members of the Staphylococcus genus are fairly abundant, with almost one-third of the general population carrying some form of staph somewhere on their body, most frequently inside the nose. Staph only becomes an issue when it gets inside an open sore or wound, causing infection. Often the infection is minor but in some extreme cases can lead to high fever and other severe complications. Fortunately, the majority of staph infections are treatable with antibiotics. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can be more problematic and difficult to manage, as it is resistant to certain antibiotics. However treatments for MRSA still exist, including draining and cleaning the area while receiving an antibiotic known as vancomycin.

staph

Staph infections often develop following surgery or a laceration. In Griffin’s case, the reoccurring bursitis in his right elbow led to the infection. The five-time All-Star has battled inflammation in the bursa sac in the joint since the 2012-13 season. As a result, Griffin has been forced to frequently have the inflamed fluid-filled sac drained. Unfortunately the risk of infection exists each time the procedure is carried out and it now appears one developed following his most recent treatment.

Griffin will have the infected area drained and begin a rigorous round of antibiotics. Once the infection has subsided, Griffin should be fine moving forward. ESPN’s Arash Markazi is reporting the initial timeline for Griffin’s recovery is estimated between two and six weeks. However the recovery rate for staph infections can be unpredictable and determining the exact length of Griffin’s absence is difficult.

Numerous players including Paul Pierce, Kenyon Martin, and Rudy Gay missed minimal time with staph infections. However veteran forward Al Harrington missed 56 games during the 2012-13 season after developing a staph infection in his knee following surgery to repair a meniscus tear. Harrington spent eight weeks in a Vegas hospital fighting the infection and later recounted his scary story for Bleacher Report. Additionally, former Jazz forward Matt Harpring saw his career come to a premature end due to nagging injuries and a difficult battle with staph.

In addition to treating Griffin, athletic trainer Jasen Powell and the rest of the Clippers medical team will need to take precautionary measures to insure no other players become infected. Staph can be transmitted from person to person. Even worse, the resilient bacteria can live on inanimate objects and other surfaces. Disinfecting any potentially contaminated areas will be key to preventive care and allow the franchise to put this issue quickly behind them.