The Long-term Problem with Robert Griffin's Knees

[sly]

What are the chances this is a career ending injury? I have witnessed several "told you so" haters on various comment sections around the web.

I have no medical knowledge whatsoever... but just going by other, modern professional athletes and their recoveries, I have no worries about his knee issue being "career ending". Career changing, maybe. Will he be as fast as he was earlier in the year and what's his time table for return... those are the major questions. He's not a running back that has a career built on speed. Hell, I'd be more worried about a massive elbow/shoulder/hand injury. Just trying to look on the positive side. No chicken little here.

[Skins Wingman]

i would think the training staff saw the same thing the OP did and have been working on it. i cant imagine some random guy found a flaw in a world class athlete that has been studied for years that not even top medical professionals saw.

[Prototype]

After giving 2 first rounders and a second, and the for the sake of our success and future, he better be just as fast, if not faster, when he recovers.....just sayin. I don't want RGIII to become like all the other QB's

[SkinsFanMania]

After giving 2 first rounders and a second, and the for the sake of our success and future, he better be just as fast, if not faster, when he recovers.....just sayin. I don't want RGIII to become like all the other QB's

Even if he isn't as fast he is still a pass first QB with an strong accurate arm and intangibles that are off the chart. That's not even taking into account his work ethic is Peyton Manning-esque.

[PorkSkins]

Terry Allen was the king of all knee rehabs. Two torn ACL's and he was still a 1000 yard back.

[Rocky52Mc]

Nice observation but you're from Philly so it's automatically discredited.

[Captain Injury]

Nice observation but you're from Philly so it's automatically discredited.

I'm from Richmond, VA. There was no professional sports market in Richmond so I moved

---------- Post added January-8th-2013 at 02:39 PM ----------

i would think the training staff saw the same thing the OP did and have been working on it. i cant imagine some random guy found a flaw in a world class athlete that has been studied for years that not even top medical professionals saw.

Can't imagine it either, which is why it's surprising it was not addressed before the season.

[braindx]

It was reported that RG3's knee is held togther with 2 screws and a rubber band from his last ACL surgery. Does this change the prognosis of recovery if a second surgery is needed?

No, because it depends on the extent of damage to his ACL/LCL. When Dr. Andrews does the exploratory arthroscopic surgery he will assess it.

It's common to anchor both allograft (cadaver achilles) or autograft (patellar or hamstring tendon) to the bone with screws, and for them to leavea band plus potentially other sutures (usually dissolvable now) inside after ligament repairs.

Just say he is knock kneed. Lay terminology.

I would suggest the following.
Prolotherapy to ensure ligaments are strong.
Training of his VMO and VL (heck...all the quads) to ensure proper tracking.
Stregnthening of TFL and gluteus medius....these may be weak in comparison to other muscle groups.
Fitting of orthotic insoles to correct any pronation.
Muscle reeducation of his intrinsic foot muscles so that he can better form a natural arch.

Knock knees/genu valgus is a postural issue (static positioning), while collapsing knees is a biomechanical/kinesthetic (movement) issue. Two different things as stated before.

Also, I haven't seen any good research on isolation of VMO. All issues with inward collapsing knees, especially chondromalacia patellae and similar things that put stress on ACL/ITB/etc, the research supports quad exercise (both stretching and strengthening) and hip exercise (correcting movement patterns/strengthening) but specific VMO doesn't mean anything. Of course, I guess we could say the EMG on VMO exercise is higher with end range closed chain exercises like TKEs, but the specific exercises for neuromuscular re-education doesn't really alter patellar tracking and subsequent knee mechanics to any significant degree.

TL;DR laymans "specific VMO work" doesn't really matter as long as you're strengthening the quad correctly in the right movement pattern.

I like PRP/ABI over prolo, as prolo is more of an irritant (I believe they still use dextrose/glucose solution)

But yes, valgus collapse usually proceded by poor ankle/foot and hip mechanics. Those are the main things to focus on for the most part.

[ZRagone]

i would think the training staff saw the same thing the OP did and have been working on it. i cant imagine some random guy found a flaw in a world class athlete that has been studied for years that not even top medical professionals saw.

I would hope so....the again, something as seemingly obscure as this seems like it could be possibly missed and WAS missed since there didn't seem to be any joticable improvement with how he bent all season. I wish I had old game tape because my mind is seemingly remembering a number I'd instances of him bending or going to his knees in that fashion all year

[HighOnHendrix]

Its nice to see some positive posts today....they are very rare right now

That's because they've been watching the doom & gloom that is ESPN. I've been telling everybody that will listen (and a few that won't) that the 18-month junk they are spouting is BS. While it could take that long, I seriously doubt that it will. He is such a hard worker that I personally will be surprised if he misses any of the regular season next year. We saw how is stubbornness got him into this fix by going back into the games hurt but now that same trait is going to get him out of it ASAP. Sure, this is a set back but that is part of the NFL. Gotta take the good with the bad.

[Year_of_The_Monk]

RG can still run the pistol in a Hoveround.

[gortiz]

You know, watching the gif of Robert's awesome play against the giants where he juked JPP and Co. and than hit Paulson, you can see evidence dynamic valgus, at least I think you can.

[Captain Injury]

Really happy about the timeline. Don't think his game will be affected at all if no setbacks and he's a very hard working dude. If he surrounds himself with top-flight trainers, he'll get what he needs. They're going to be ferocious in 2013. I'm beyond excited.

[gortiz]

just wanted to bump this and maybe get other folks with PT experience weigh in ... I find this fascinating.

I have trouble watching Robert without thinking of this "condition"

[martytheman]

Terry Allen was the king of all knee rehabs. Two torn ACL's and he was still a 1000 yard back.

and 21 td's in one season