Professor Dr. Hinterwimmer is one of Germany's top physicians. His specialty is the knee. He has already operated on a number of professional football players and helped them back onto the pitch.
In a detailed interview with B42, he stated that the average downtime after a cruciate ligament rupture in professional football is currently eight months, according to the available data.
In amateur sports, he said, the downtime is ten to twelve months, because amateur rehab can never be as intensive as professional rehab.
Statistically, the downtime averages 244 days (7.9 months), which thus disproves the general myth of a six-month break.
However, it also depends heavily on the first few days after the injury.