If you are a football fanatic like me then you play FANTASY FOOTBALL! If you are a fanatic like me, you might also have got people at your job into a league. Our staff at PTSP is pretty competitive, so I was excited to do this with our staff this year. The majority of your NFL fantasy leagues have ended (except for you crazies that play playoff fantasy as well). I really hope the people reading this did better than I did because this year was BRUTAL. There are many factors for the bad fantasy performances including poor draft choices, mid-season trades that do not go in your favor, players that play on bad teams, bad luck, etc. If you had an exceptionally bad season, it was most likely due to INJURIES. Since we are the INJURY EXPERTS at PTSP....we are going to give you some insight on some of the injuries that may have changed your fantasy outlook and what the recovery timeline looks like. More information, more chances of winning in fantasy (or that's what I would like to think).Ha!
1. ACL Tear
What is it?
The ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) is one of the major ligaments in your knee that helps to stabilize the joint. It’s generally a very strong ligament that controls excessive motion at the knee, but with rapid change of direction, sudden deceleration, awkward landing from jumping, or direct contact to the knee, it can compromise the integrity of this structure.
Recovery?
Majority of athletes that have an ACL tear will have an ACL reconstruction done. The timeline to return to play varies significantly as you can tell from players like Adrian Peterson and Saquon Barkley. However, the general rule of recovery time is about 9-12 months. This does not necessarily mean that the player’s strength, agility, and performance overall is exactly the same as the pre-injury state at this point. Studies have shown that returning to play prior to 9 months out of surgery has a significantly increased risk of re-injury. Most professional athletes feel that they are 100% back to pre-injury state at about 2 years! Full recovery takes a lot of dedication, hard work, and TIME. Side-note: there are studies out there showing there is no difference in recovery with surgical versus conservative(rehab only) success.
Notable Players This Year
- Javonte Williams
- Kyler Murray
- Breece Hall
2. Hamstring Injury
What is it?
The hamstring complex are the muscles behind your thigh that helps to extend the hip and flex the knee. Depending on the degree of the injury, the hamstring muscles can get strained, partially torn, or fully torn. As far as the mechanism of the injury goes, it typically happens during running; more specifically, sprinting. The demand on the hamstrings increase as the speed and intensity of running/sprinting increases. That is why at PTSP, we emphasize the importance of gradual progression of sprinting when returning to any type of sport.
Recovery?
Grade 1 hamstring injury – can recover within days to a few weeks
Grade 2 hamstring injury – can recover within 4-8 weeks
Grade 3 hamstring injury – depends on the severity and may possibly need surgery
Most important part about hamstring rehab is PHYSICAL THERAPY. Just because the pain is gone does not mean that rehab is done. The re-injury window for hamstring injuries are shown to be within 15 weeks of returning to play. Make sure your rehab consists of strength training, plyometrics, and most importantly, sprinting!
Notable Players This Year
- Keenan Allen
- Deebo Samuel
- Kadarius Toney
- Darren Waller
3. Concussion
What Is It?
Concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that could be caused by force to the body-bump, blow, or jolt. This alters the chemical and metabolic function of the brain and body's function. The actual concussion is a momentary excitatory phase in the brain. Post the concussion the body enters a time of fatigue and increased symptoms that last 7-10 days in most people. However, 30% of people have prolonged symptoms. Signs and symptoms are different for every individual but some of them include: loss of consciousness (not always), balance issues, amnesia, memory issues, vomiting, altered emotions, visual changes, sensitivity to light/sound, etc. Metabolic healing of the brain does not occur until day 22-30 based on current research. Hence, the importance of treating every concussion seriously. If a concussion is managed correctly: return to sport no sooner than 22 days, passing all tests and having a baseline re-test that is normal a person can100% recover. If a concussion is managed poorly. person can have long term symptoms that impact return to play.
Recovery?
This is the only injury on this list that does not have a general timeline. The most important thing about concussion treatment is getting tested by a certified concussion specialist to be cleared for return to normal activities and for sports. When athletes are not cleared properly, much more dangerous conditions can occur when re-injured such as Second Impact Syndrome or Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). A good example from this year was Tua Tagovailoa who appears to have suffered way too many concussions in a short period of time. For more information, we have 2 great therapists here at PTSP that treat concussions (Dr. Brown and Dr. Sandoval).
Notable Players This Year
- Tua Tagovailoa
- Matthew Stafford
- Russell Wilson
High Ankle Sprain
What is it?
A high ankle sprain is an injury of the ligaments of the syndesmosis (a strong membrane made of connective tissue) between the tibia and fibula just above the ankle joint. This injury typically occurs when the foot is bent towards the shin and twisted away from midline when the athlete is twisting, cutting, turning, running ,jumping, or falling. The recovery from this injury is typically longer than normal ankle sprains
Recovery?
The recovery time varies depending on the grade of the injury, similar to the hamstring injury discussed above. Grade 1 injuries can potentially recover in 3 weeks with rehab and Grade 3 injuries can take up to 6 months and potentially longer depending on how the rehab process goes. Not all high ankle sprains require surgery and is managed through physical therapy. The mid to late stage rehab for this injury is similar to the hamstring injuries and ACL reconstructions; tons of strength training, plyometrics, agility work, and sprinting.
Notable Players This Year
- Jonathan Taylor
- Mac Jones
- Cooper Kupp
For you NFL fantasy players, hopefully this gives you a better idea of when you should keep, drop, or trade players based on their current injury or injury history. One thing all of these injuries have in common is the fact that physical therapists are heavily involved in each one of them. Don't try to treat these things on your own, and ask for help from a physical therapist and you might just be able to return to your sport more safely and potentially quicker. Congratulations to all of the league winners, and better luck next year for last place losers! (Sorry Dr. Sandoval)
Have questions? Send us a direct message. Got an injury keeping you from getting started? Contact us to book an appointment. We can treat you onsite or virtually through Telehealth.
Love <3,
Dr. Daisuke & The PTSP Team