As Ravens running back Ray Rice recovers from a bruised knee that could keep him from playing Sunday in Pittsburgh, medical experts say it will take one thing before Rice is back to his previous form - time. Rice, who missed a scheduled appearance with Baltimore Mayor Stephanie C. Rawlings-Blake Tuesday at the Inner Harbor as part of a health campaign, said via Twitter that he hopes to return "asap," and a source close to Rice said Tuesday that the injury "is not that bad. He's walking around like his regular self. He should be good for this week. [The Ravens] gave him a little crutch after the game, as a precaution, but he definitely could play this week - depending on how he feels and how the doctor and coaches feel." Still, his availability after leaving Sunday's 24-17 victory over the Cleveland Browns will likely depend on a series of factors, including the amount of swelling that subsides, his tolerance to pain and his ability to maneuver on the knee, according to Dr. Les Matthews, chief of orthopedic surgery at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore and a team physician for the Ravens. "What's going to happen out there is they're going to be as hopeful and as aggressive as they can in getting him over this as quickly as possible while realizing that some of it is in your control and some of it is totally out of your control," Matthews said. "If he meets all the criteria to be able to play safely without injuring himself further and be able to contribute the way he normally can, he'll play. And if he can't, then they'll be better off resting him because it's a long season and the next man up." According to Matthews and Dr. Alexis Colvin, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, a knee bruise involves damage to soft tissue in the knee that results in internal bleeding and swelling. Although the injury does not require surgery, the biggest concern is that the damage could go deeper to the bone, which could delay a quick return. Source: Baltimore Sun
