We have been following the NY GIant’s wide receiver,Odell Beckham, and his ankle troubles for some time now. Last week, he aggravated an old ankle injury, which was almost to be expected since recurring ankle injuries are so common.
However, this weekend Odell suffered a nasty fall, completely twisting his ankle leading to an immediate diagnosis of a fracture. The Giants are worried and for good reason. Beckham’s orthopedist has suggested surgery and though he will be getting a second opinion, this injury will most likely keep Beckham out of the game for the rest of the season either way.
While a fracture can heal with time, the real issue surrounding this ankle break is the damage done to the supporting ligaments. We already know Beckham’s ankle is a weak spot, his ligaments having been stretched and torn from a previous sprain. Now there has probably been a severe tear or even a rupture, warranting surgery to correct.
Even with surgery, it will be very difficult to heal these ligaments enough to reach peak performance levels again. At least 8 weeks of physical therapy would be crucial to getting Beckham back on the field again, without risking an even more painful injury.
In these cases, not only is expert surgical skill necessary for the least amount of trauma to the area, a carefully followed sports rehabilitationprogram is equally as important. A physical therapist specializing in orthopedics and sports medicine will have to work carefully with Beckham on multiple aspects of proper healing, such as increasing blood flow to the ankle and preventing a scarred tissue build up as well as strengthening the surrounding muscles while not straining the damaged tissues.
Beckham has a long road to a proper recovery, but with the guidance of his orthopedic experts, he could be in the action again in a little over 8 weeks. Unfortunately, this won’t be enough time to help the Giants come up from behind and secure a spot in the playoffs.
