http://www.hogshaven.com/2013/1/7/3846532/rgiii-injury-knee-redskins-robert-griffin-torn-acl

Mark Maske, a well-informed NFL insider for the Washington Post, just posted what we've all been hearing: RGIII has ACL and LCL damage.

Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan said Griffin is scheduled to be examined Tuesday in Pensacola, Fla., by orthopedic surgeon James Andrews to determine whether the test results show new or previous injuries.

This is unfortunate news and means RGIII's timeline for playing in 2013 is in jeopardy and could start the season on the PUP list. Of course, the team will give more information on Tuesday.

SB Nation's medical expert Dr. Ali Mohamadi, who ironically is a DC resident and life-long Redskins fan, provides insight on what to expect from here. His bio is impressive in case one has any doubts: Undergraduate degree at Yale, medical degree at George Washington University School of Medicine, residency and chief residency at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, followed by his subspecialty fellowship in Endocrinology at Johns Hopkins.

Dr. Ali: Recovery from combined ACL and LCL tears is a grueling and time-consuming process, and when you're dealing with a patient like Griffin with a prior history of an ACL reconstruction on the same knee, even moreso. The progression to physical activity is very slow to ensure that the grafts are sufficiently strong to endure motion and weightbearing. Typically, patients remain in a brace for at least 6 weeks, during which time they are advised not to fully bear weight on the affected leg and aren't allowed to fully bend the leg. Strength training and range of motion exercises progress slowly to a point where the patient has built up enough mobility and regained muscle to begin running, usually at 6 months after surgery. For most athletes, notwithstanding Adrian Peterson's amazing full recovery from ACL and MCL tears in about 9 months, many experts will tell you that it can take a full year for an athlete to feel like he or she is back to 100 percent function.

The added factor for Griffin is that he has a prior history of ACL reconstruction. For an athlete with no prior history of an ACL tear, the recovery is a daunting process to begin with and usually takes longer than for other knee ligaments. Studies show that while the risk of re-injury is about 5% among patients who have had ACL reconstruction, the risk for failure doubles after a second ACL repair, and this study didn't just look at athletes who endure the wear and tear that football players do. It doesn't mean Griffin shouldn't be able to play -- and play well -- after a second ACL reconstruction, but it does add a level of concern over the possibility that it could happen yet again.



<<<---"That's my quarterback!" (c) T.O.

...

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peace.