Repsol Honda->ke291 MotoGP rider Dani Pedrosa->ke1458 has successfully undergone arm surgery to repair a nagging injury he has had since last season. The 29-year old who many regard as one of the best riders in the MotoGP->ke2192 grid underwent surgery last week and will be on the shelf for the next four to six weeks.

Honda Racing issued a statement on behalf of Pedrosa, saying that the operation was performed by renowned orthopaedic surgeon Angel Villamor. According to Honda Racing, Dr. Villamor was able to repair Pedrosa’s problematic arm pump by removing the layer of fascia –  the casing around the muscle that gives it form and shape – that has been causing Pedrosa those arm issues in the past.

With the surgery deemed a success, Pedrosa is required to keep tabs with Dr. Villager in the coming weeks for check ups and a custom rehab program designed specifically to bring strength back to the repaired arm. Despite being given a recovery time of four to six weeks, it’s still unclear if Pedrosa will be able to resume his racing career. That’s up to Dr. Villamor, who will access the success of the surgery before giving the proverbial green light to the Spaniard on a return to MotoGP.

In the meantime, Repsol Honda is pushing ahead with its preparations for the US GP at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. With Pedrosa sidelined, the team has announced that test rider Hiroshi Aoyama will take Pedrosa’s place for the next two races in Texas and Argentina.

Given the circumstances behind Pedrosa’s injury, it’s good to know that he went ahead and did the surgery at the soonest possible time. I’m not going to bloviate any kind of medicinal wisdom in this instance, but I do know that with the surgery done, Pedrosa can now look forward to getting his arm back to full strength so that, hopefully, he can return to MotoGP where he belongs.

Continue reading to read more about Dani Pedrosa's status after his successful arm surgery.

Why it matters

First things first. This is great news if you’re a fan of Dani Pedrosa. Last week, it seemed like everybody had questions on the status of his injury and nobody had any answers on what was really wrong with him. Heck, even Pedrosa seemed to be as confused about the injury as everybody else.

Now that he finally decided to get surgery on his arm, it gives everyone a good idea on what he’s up against. Obviously, we all want him back fully healthy and ready to get back on the saddle. But his orthopaedic surgeon is rightfully taking a measured approach with his rehab. Here’s to hoping that everything goes smoothly for Pedrosa during his rehab stint and his arm heals to the paint that he can return to MotoGP.

But if his injuries are deemed to be too serious that he’s forced to retire from competition, it would be a devastating blow to Repsol Honda and MotoGP. I’ve often gone on record saying that Pedrosa’s arguably the greatest motorcycle rider never to have won a MotoGP title. But if it’s really not in the cards for him, then we have to come to grips that a career that was on the precipice of greatness will be cut short through no one’s fault.

Best of luck in your rehab, Dani Pedrosa. We’re rooting for you!