Dwight Howard went through his first full practice with the Wizards on Monday

Dwight Howard went through a full practice on Monday afternoon for the first time since joining the team over the summer.

Howard has been limited or held out of practices and games since the start of training camp due to back issues he suffered while traveling overseas during the summer. Last week, after suffering a setback, he visited a specialist who diagnosed the issue as a sore piriformis.

Getting to the root of the issue appears to have done wonders for Howard. Chris Miller of NBC Washington reported he not only went through the full practice, but played with the starting unit.

Going through a full practice is usually a prerequisite for getting clearance to play in games after a long absence, and the fact that he played with the starters would seem to indicate the Wizards think they can get him on the floor sooner than later.

Their first game is on Thursday night against the Heat, then they host the Raptors on Saturday before kicking off a five-game road trip which includes four games on the West Coast.