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Minnesota-based back surgeon offers insight on Zach Parise's back surgery and road to recovery

Related Topics: Discectomy, Zach Parise

Told Zach Parise’s announced timetable to return to game action for the Wild after Tuesday’s microdiscectomy was eight to 10 weeks, spine surgeon Nick Wills laughed out loud.

“I betcha it’s not,” Wills said. “You’ve got to let that thing heal, and it just takes time. It’s not like you can strengthen up and get around this. It just takes time.”

Granted, Wills quickly acknowledged he hasn’t treated Parise nor seen the specific injury he’s dealing with. Parise was operated on Tuesday morning by Kevin Mullaney at TRIA in Bloomington for a herniated disk that was compressing into a nerve.