I read this today and don't know if it was posted in previous days, but at least I didn't see it. I thought it's very interesting and surely many people had not heard about it. http://blogs.chron.com/jeromesolomon/2010/10/john_lucas_on_yao_ming_1.html Ilgauskas was injured in December of 2000, and came back in December 2001. By mid-January he starts playing more minutes. http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/i/ilgauzy01/gamelog/2002/ Sorry if already posted, didn't see it.
The difference is that Ilgaulskis started one year after the surgery, Yao was like 15 months after the surgery, so in healing time, he is already past the point of extending his minutes if they are following the Big Z track. DD
Medically Yao is completely healed and cleared to play normal minutes but they are being extra cautious with the face of the franchise. His minutes will increase as the season goes on.