This past Sunday, football fans across the nation watched in painful agony as the Washington Redskins star rookie quarterback, Robert Griffin III (RG3) fell to the ground with a gruesome knee injury. During a playoff game versus the Seattle Seahawks, RG3 slipped, twisting his already injured knee which resulted in a torn lateral cruciate ligament (LCL) and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
Many have dubbed this new NFL stud as a likely candidate for the “Rookie of the Year” award. So, what does an injury like this mean for this pro football player’s career? Dr. Joseph Tutorino, Orthopaedic Surgeon and Medical Director of Sports Medicine at Florida Hospital Altamonte weighs in, “An ACL/LCL repair is a major, total-knee surgery with an intense rehab and recovery process. RG3 will be looking at minimum timeframe of six to eight months before he will be ready to go back and play as a dynamic, running quarterback in the NFL.” With surgery already being completed today, the young star is currently projected to be back in the game for the 2013 season-opener.
ACL and LCL injuries are common in athletes who participate in extremely physical sports such as football and basketball. To help prevent these injuries, athletes should always remember to warm-up and stretch prior to athletic activities, perform knee-strengthening exercises, and wear comfortable, supportive shoes.
