I lost count of how many times the announcers on Sunday night’s football game discussed the injury that Chiefs quarterback (and best player in the world) Patrick Mahomes played with.
He suffered a high ankle sprain just 8 days earlier and as a sports physical therapist here in McLean and Bethesda, I was blown away by how well he was able to play.
A high ankle sprain occurs when the ligaments that connect the tibia and fibula (the two bones in the lower leg) are stretched or torn. It is a more severe injury than a standard, or low ankle sprain, and takes longer to heal. Symptoms include pain, swelling, and difficulty bearing weight on the injured leg.
High ankle sprains typically take 6-8 weeks to heal and even longer to return to sport. It also involves a great deal of physical therapy and rehabilitation. At our McLean and Bethesda clinics, we typically work with athletes for 2-3 months after suffering a high ankle sprain.
I am not saying that Mahomes shouldn’t have played. As with all medical decisions, it is a risk vs. reward calculation.
By playing hurt, Mahomes risked re-injuring the ankle, causing further damage and increased the chances of developing chronic ankle issues. However, the reward is that he was able to lead his team to the Superbowl.
Mahomes determined that the reward outweighed the risk.
But we aren’t Patrick Mahomes and don’t have access to the same medical treatment (physical therapists, athletic trainers, doctors, etc.). The risk of “playing hurt” does not have the same reward (I didn’t even mention the 10-year contract he signed in 2020).
If you had an injury and are tired of sitting on the sidelines, first consult with a medical professional. As physical therapists we will help you understand your injury/pain and provide guidance on how to safely return to exercise or sport.
Once you have a better understanding of your injury, it is time to focus on your return.
The most challenging thing is learning where to start. What workout should I begin with? How much practice can I participate in?
Start small and build from there. Be conservative and make your first workout or practice easy. You can always build from there.
Every training session or practice should increase in volume and intensity in a progressive, step by step fashion. This pushes your body to adapt to more stress over time without pushing things too far, resulting in injury.
Don’t try to be Patrick Mahomes by modeling what you see on TV.
I spent the early stages of my career working with professional athletes.
Professional athletes are different. They recover faster, heal faster, and use pain killers that I do not recommend using to stay on the field.
We only see what is shown to us on TV. Ever seen a football player in their 50s?!
