Kaizer Chiefs have explained why attacking midfielder Khama Billiat has been sidelined for so long in 2022/23.
Billiat, 32, has only featured in 11 games for Amakhosi this season and missed parts of the first half of the campaign with a knee injury.
He looked like he had picked up form with two assists in three games before the break for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, but was again sidelined afterwards.
After the club tried to treat him conservatively at first, it didn’t work and Billiat had to go under the knife – extending his time on the treatment table.
“It’s called a ‘sportsman’s hernia’,” Chiefs physiotherapist David Milner told the club.
“The initial treatment of ‘sportsman’s hernia is to try and treat it conservatively. So normally we give them six weeks of conservative treatment to try and settle it down.
“Unfortunately, he didn’t respond well to the conservative treatment. So he required surgery.
“The type of surgery he had is what they call ‘sportsman’s hernia repair’. They kind of have to go in and put a bit of a machine and tighten up the structure that are in that area that normally loosen up a bit.
“So the recovery process from that is normally an eight to 10-week process.”
Milner also confirmed that Billiat is back running and could potentially return to action before the end of the campaign.
“Where he currently stands is he’s progressing quite nicely. We’ve got him back on the pitch running a bit,” he added.
“It’s going to be an uncomfortable injury when he starts training and starts playing, it’s going to be niggling for a while.
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“It takes a period of time before it settles down properly. So by 12 weeks, he’ll be back to 100% training.”
Chiefs return to action on Thursday when they will face relegation-threatened Chippa United in Gqeberha at 15:00.
