Wednesday’s healthy and safety news involving sports:

* USA Today reported that South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore has recovered “impossible” muscle gain in his surgically repaired knee. His surgeon, Dr. James Andrews, told USA Today:

Andrews says Lattimore is three months ahead of schedule on his rehab, and his work ethic has been on par with (Adrian) Peterson, the Minnesota Vikings running back and Andrews patient who came within 9 yards of the single-season rushing record after tearing his ACL the previous season.

“He’s twice as far along as we ever expected him to be. He’s so self motivated,” Andrews says of Lattimore. “This weight he’s put on has been all muscle, which is absolutely impossible in most cases. It remains to be seen if he can play this season.

“We’ve had to slow him down in certain activities because he’d get ahead of us,” Andrews added. “He’s one of the finest young men I’ve ever had the opportunity to help take care of.”

* Lattimore told NFL.com’s Jeff Darlington that he expects to play this fall.

Whatever the short-term outlook, there is little discrepancy on the long-term outlook. Lattimore said he believes he will, indeed, be able to play football during the upcoming NFL season. And he plans to reward whichever team drafts him.

“My goal for these next few months is to participate in South Carolina’s pro day (on March 27) or push our own personal pro day back to April,” Lattimore said. “Man, I honestly feel like I can play this year. I know my body. I know if I’m progressing the way I am, I’ll be ready to play. I won’t have to sit out a year.

“Whatever happens, once I get on that team, if they feel like I should wait a few games, if they feel like I should sit out a year, it’s what’s best for me. I at least want to put some input into it and see how I feel.”

* Illinois State profiled its teaching clinic for treating sports injuries.

* Cal State Northridge’s Sundial wrote about how the school’s sports injury clinic is keeping student athletes in the game.

* The Associated Press wrote that a House panel has backed a youth concussion bill in Virginia.

* WHSV-TV in Shenandoah Valley in Virginia interviewed an athletic director about how the state’s legislation regarding concussion protocols would affect his school.

* WKRN-TV in Nashville wrote about proposed legislation in a Tennessee bill that would require schools and organizations to adopt specific concussion policies.

* Collegiate Times updated readers on the concussion research being conducted at Virginia Tech.

* The Windsor (Ontario) Star talked to Dr. Robert Cantu, who is calling for radical safety changes to youth sports.

– Bill Bradley, contributing editor