Bird Plays in Celtic Practice Despite Broken Bone in Back

Larry Bird, who broke a small bone in his back in a scrimmage Saturday, returned to the court with the Boston Celtics Monday, despite reports that he would go to Indiana for rehabilitation and that normal recovery for such an injury is at least a month.

Eddie Lacerte, the Celtics’ trainer, said Bird, who had been expected to return to his home in French Lick, Ind., had practiced at his own request, but was not at full strength.

“The swelling, the muscle spasms and the pain subsided enough for him to play, so he did,” Lacerte said. “He felt it would be better to go through rehabilitation here under medical supervision than at home in Indiana.”

An Associated Press report said that Bird had moved gingerly at the Celtic camp at Brandeis University at Waltham, Mass. Bird later declined to speak with reporters.

Lacerte said Bird had asked the medical staff’s opinion on increasing his activity level, and was given permission. Lacerte said that the time necessary for the fracture to heal will still be from four to six weeks, but that there would be no complications to Bird’s rehabilitation from his heel problems.

Bird, who is recovering from heel injuries that kept him from playing most of last season, broke his transverse process, a bone in the lower back about one-quarter of an inch in diameter by one-half inch long, in a collision with teammate Kelvin Upshaw.

Los Angeles doctors shed more light on the situation.

Cornelius Passani, an L.A. orthopedic surgeon, said that the transverse process is usually broken when one of the many muscles attached to the bone pulls with extreme force.

Passani characterized the injury as unusual and painful, but not serious and said that Bird’s quick return indicated strong motivation to play. A recovery period of four to six weeks is common, although the injury could continue to cause pain for up to three months, he said.

Alan Knopf of the Kaiser Sunset Department of Orthopedics, said that Bird would be in extreme, possibly incapacitating, pain for several weeks.

“I don’t see how he’s going to practice, it’s going to hurt,” Knopf said. “They can wrap him up, but he won’t be able to play to capacity.”

Knopf also said that the transverse process functions as an attachment to the extensor and flexor muscles, and is not involved with back stability. Whenever an individual jumps or bends, the muscles contract and pull on the transverse process. If the transverse process is broken, the constant stress will cause pain.