52-Year-Old Pickleball Pro David Johnson Successfully Returns to Competition Following Rapid Recovery from Calf-Tear

Bregman Foot-Ankle & Nerve Center in Las Vegas Nevada

Applied Science For Regeneration… Service Above Self… Excellence In All We Do.

Pickelball Pro David Johnson was treated with Genesis Regenerative Protein Array (RPA)

PPA PRO David Johnson partnered with Las Vegas Surgeon Dr. Peter Bregman to show the impact of Regenerative Protein Array (RPA).

"Most athletes wanna be back doing their sport yesterday, and that's not realistic. And actually, when you give people steroids, it's masking their pain, and the tear isn't really repairing itself.”

— Dr. Peter J. Bregman

LAS VEGAS, NV, UNITED STATES, December 19, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Professional pickleball player David Johnson defied conventional medical timelines recently, stepping onto the court to compete against players half his age shortly after suffering a severe Grade 2 calf tear. His successful return to high-level play serves as public validation for his treating physician, Dr. Peter J. Bregman, who used the case to demonstrate why modern regenerative protocols are superior to traditional "standard of care" treatments like steroids.

"I Couldn't Walk at All"
For Johnson, a 52-year-old father of five, the injury was a significant hurdle. He arrived at Dr. Bregman’s office unable to put weight on his leg.

"I had a Grade 2 strain... tear in my calf. I couldn't walk at all," Johnson said. "I had to walk on my three front toes and that was it."¹

Moving Beyond "Band-Aid" Medicine
Dr. Bregman, a board-certified podiatric surgeon and Co-Medical Director of Genesis Regenerative, explained that for professional athletes, the traditional route of corticosteroid injections often does more harm than good.

"Most professional athletes wanna be back doing their sport yesterday, and that's not realistic," Dr. Bregman stated. "And actually, when you give people steroids, it's a bandage... it's masking their pain and the tear isn't really repairing itself."²

Instead, Dr. Bregman utilized the Regenerative Protein Array (RPA) to signal actual physiologic repair.
"What's nice with RPA is you have the triple effect," Dr. Bregman explained. "Almost instant pain relief due to the cytokines that are in it... And then you have the repair process."²

23 Hours to "Normal"
The results of the targeted therapy were immediate. Johnson recounted the shock of his rapid recovery just one day after the procedure.

"Literally 23 hours later... I take the boot off... and all of a sudden I'm like, this is weird, I don't feel anything," Johnson said. "So I tenderly and gingerly tried to stand up and all of a sudden I'm walking around like normal."¹

Just five days later, Johnson was back on the court at a major tournament in Palm Springs. "I feel like an 18-year-old again," Johnson added.¹

Clinical Promise
Dr. Bregman noted that the recovery wasn't just about pain relief; the muscle tissue showed visible signs of strengthening.

"He even said in his case his muscles are bigger, which, you know, is kind of shocking to me to some degree, but not surprising," Dr. Bregman noted. "I haven't gotten a phone call back from Dave telling me... it didn't work. That's the best thing."²

Redefining Recovery Standards
This rapid recovery highlights the broader potential of RPA to transform sports medicine. By prioritizing physiological repair over temporary symptom management, Dr. Bregman and Genesis Regenerative are establishing a new clinical precedent—one where age and injury no longer dictate an athlete’s timeline, and where non-surgical solutions offer promising results previously thought impossible.

About Genesis Regenerative: Genesis Regenerative is a regenerative medicine company that develops and markets its advanced Regenerative Protein Array (RPA). The company is committed to establishing a new standard of care through ethical practices, comprehensive educational resources, and a dual-sided support system for both patients and clinicians.

About Dr. Peter J. Bregman Dr. Peter J. Bregman, DPM, is a board-certified podiatric surgeon and Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Founder of the Bregman Foot-Ankle & Nerve Center, he is a recognized leader in peripheral nerve surgery and currently serves as Co-Medical Director for Genesis Regenerative.

¹ Quotations provided by David Johnson, Professional Pickleball Player, entrepreneur, and Genesis Regenerative partner.
² Quotations provided by Dr. Peter J. Bregman, DPM, board-certified podiatric surgeon and Co-Medical Director of Genesis Regenerative.

https://bregmanfance.com/meet-dr-bregman/

https://genesisregenerative.com/

Michael Major, CEO
Genesis regenerative
+1 855-320-7559
email us here
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
TikTok

Peter Bregman, DPM Holistic Podiatry / Foot & Ankle Surgery Founder & Medical Director Bregman Foot-Ankle & Nerve Center, Las Vegas, Nevada

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.