Chiefs’ Billiat getting better after difficult injury spell

Khama Billiat has spoken up on what he had initially thought was a small knock turned out to be an injury that has kept him out of the Kaizer Chiefs team for over three months now. 

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The nimble footed attacker says he got the knock at training and thought nothing of it until the pain grew. 

Billiat was later diagnosed with what Chiefs physiotherapist David Milner said was a sportsman’s hernia.

“I got injured when we had just came back from the December (November) break,” Billiat told the Chiefs YouTube channel.

“I picked up a small knock while we were training and I thought it was one of those little knocks that happen in training. 

“And I kept training but the pain kept growing.

“The team took me to a specialist and (it was found that) I had a little fracture on the groin.

“I then had to go for an operation and right now I am doing rehabilitation. It went well, thank God.”

It is mentally challenging, says Billiat

Billiat says it has been difficult to watch from the stands when he felt he could be contributing to the team.

“It is mentally difficult. But you have to be strong and make sure you are working towards getting better and strong to rejoin the team. 

“It is straining sometimes when you watch the team and you feel  like you need to contribute. 

“But the only thing you can do is pray for the guys and speak to them before games and be involved within the group. 

“Speaking to them might help some of the guys because we need each other. 

“The rehab has gone well so far. I have been exercising to strengthen the area and now I am starting to jog outside. 

“It has been a difficult process… But now I am jogging and it is a good sign,” added Billiat. 

“It was a sportsman’s hernia. The initial treatment of this is to treat it conservatively,” said Milner. 

Billiat responding well to rehab

“We gave him six weeks of conservative treatment to try and get it to settle down. 

“But unfortunately he didn’t respond well to that and needed surgery. 

“The type of surgery that was done is called sportsman’s hernia repair. They have to go into the tissue and tighten up the structure around there which loosens up a bit. 

“The normal recovery process from that is eight to 10 weeks. He is progressing quite nicely. We have him on the pitch now running. 

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“It is going to get uncomfortable when he starts training and it will be niggling for a while. But he will be back to 100% after 12 weeks.”

Billiat’s contract is up for renewal at the end of the season. Chiefs coach Arthur Zwane did however say that injuries will not be considered when they look at who they keep.