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Stewart says she’ll ‘for sure’ be ready for 2020 WNBA season, Olympics

Breanna Stewart posted a video of herself running on a treadmill this week, the latest positive sign from her recovery from a ruptured Achilles tendon.

FIBA Women’s World Cup Practice
Breanna Stewart’s recovery from a ruptured Achilles suffered in April is progressing well. The 2018 WNBA MVP expects to be back on the court in 2020.
Photo by Catherine Steenkeste/NBAE via Getty Images

Four months after having surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon, Breanna Stewart is still progressing with her recovery — a welcome sign to Seattle Storm fans and WNBA fans alike.

Some visual confirmation of that recovery came earlier this week, when Stewart posted this video on Twitter of her running on an anti-gravity treadmill:

The anti-gravity treadmill allows patients to bear weight on an injured lower extremity, helping them ease back into activities like running.

Even from the beginning, there was hope that her recovery would go this smoothly. Swish Appeal’s Albert Lee outlined the stories of three WNBA players who came back from Achilles injuries. According to the Mayo Clinic, “most people return to their former level of activity within four to six months” after treatment for a ruptured Achilles, though that timetable is obviously altered for athletes trying to return to peak physical condition.

But Lee concluded that if Stewart continues to develop her game, she should be able to keep playing at MVP level for a long time upon her return.

Stewart is taking her recovery in stride — literally, thankfully — and told SportsCenter earlier this month that while she’s unsure of the precise timetable for her recovery, she expects to “for sure” be ready for the beginning of the 2020 WNBA season and the Olympics.