Ereck Flowers Ankle Injury Update

Left tackle Ereck Flowers re-aggravated his L ankle and was carted off the field during the loss to the Jets last Sunday. Ereck initially sprained this ankle during the Week 1 loss to the Cowboys and has been hampered intermittently by this injury ever since. Since this injury is so common, let's break it down. A sprain occurs when there is an overstretching or tearing of a ligament(s), the fibrous tissue that connects bones together. Since ligaments consist of non-elastic tissue overstretching these tissues can lead to joint instability. Sprains are graded from 1-4 based on the severity of the stretch or tear. A grade 1 sprain, being the most mild, can limit a running athlete's return to play from 1-3 weeks and may require short term brace wear. Grade 4 sprains are defined as complete disruption in the ligament and usually require surgery. Based on how quickly Ereck has been able to progress (thanks to efforts of his trainers and therapists) this week from crutches to limited practice with the team by Friday, my guess is he suffered a grade 2-3 lateral, or outside portion of the left ankle sprain. Early on his likely rehabilitation consisted of RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation) followed by gentle joint mobilization and taping to restore proper joint alignment. Throughout the week he has been receiving foot and ankle exercises to improve his stability and balance exercises to assist with his ability to sense movement within his joints and joint position called proprioception. My guess is either he declined to wear or felt uncomfortable playing in a more supportive brace resulting in exacerbation of this injury. This type of brace can limit lateral mobility, which is much needed at his position. Here is the bottom line. Ereck is listed as questionable. From what we know about him, he's a bulldog and will likely play. Our experience with this injury tells us that his ankle will be heavily taped and he'll probably be using a brace for stability this time around. Based on the severity of pain and limited lateral mobility associated with this injury, I wouldn't count on him playing the majority of snaps on Monday night in Florida but it's possible.