Thursday marks exactly one month since Trail Blazers center Zach Collins underwent successful surgery to repair his left labrum.
On Wednesday night, as Collins made his way through the bowels of Moda Center before the Blazers and Kings tipped off, there was something different about him.
For the first time in public, Collins was not wearing a sling around his left shoulder.
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) December 5, 2019
After the game, the 7-footer gave an update on how his shoulder is feeling and how his rehabilitation is coming along.
It’s a lot more convenient, and way more comfortable not walking around with a sling all the time. I’m very happy.
--Trail Blazers big man Zach Collins
“The timeline is moving along and it’s progressing,” Collins added.
The shoulder injury occurred when Collins dislocated his left shoulder late in the third quarter during Portland's game at Dallas back on October 27th.
Through the first three games of the season, Collins averaged 9.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists as the Blazers starting power forward.
Collins says he has been able to get a lot better sleep now that the pain has subsided.
“Two or three days out of surgery, sleeping was hard, that’s just because it was so painful. Honestly, the sling didn’t bother me that much sleeping with it after that when the pain stopped."
Collins described how the front of his shoulder had been in the most pain immediately following surgery. But now, it's rare for him to feel any physical discomfort.
I’m never really in any pain unless I’m doing rehab. Even then, if it’s painful we’re not pushing it too hard yet. I’m not really in any pain anymore.
Collins also explained what he's been doing during his physical therapy:
“Range of motion, a little bit of resistance work… Like if they’re pushing on my arm this way, I’ve got to push the other way. Little things like that, and then just working on my legs and my right arm.”
The current timetable is that Collins will be re-evaluated in March.
But with one month down, and three to go, Collins is going to continue to focus on rehab. He's also going to continue to improve his wardrobe. The big man admitted he had to purchase more suits in order to follow the NBA's formal dress code when sitting on the Blazers' bench during home games.