Earlier today it was announced that Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is expected to miss at least three months as he works to recover following a turf toe injury he suffered in yesterday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Burrow was injured halfway through the second quarter of yesterday’s contest and never returned despite receiving treatment throughout the game. He was eventually classified with a turf toe injury, and images of the injury were sent to renowned foot specialist Dr. Robert Anderson. Upon review, the recommendation was that Burrow undergo surgery to address the toe, which likely sidelines him about three months.
Turf Toe – The Injury That Is Worse Than It Sounds
The term “turf toe” doesn’t sound like all that significant of an injury, which is why many people are wondering how the injury is sidelining Burrow for the majority of the regular season. Despite the moniker, the injury is actually quite painful. A turf toe injury occurs when your big toe is hyper-extended, often when the toe remains on the ground while the heel is lifted and a significant stress or twisting force is placed on the foot. This action leads to damage to the soft tissues that support and stabilize your big toe joint.
Turf Toe injuries tend to come in one of three different grades:
Grade 1 – Mild to moderate overstretching of the soft tissues of the metatarsophalangeal joint of the big toe. Presents with mild discomfort, but can be overcome in a matter of a few days to a week with the help of conservative care.
Grade 2 – Partial tears of the supporting soft tissues are present. Pain is more intense and walking will be uncomfortable. Oftentimes it can be managed without surgery by pursuing conservative care for a couple of weeks and a gradual reintroduction to stressful activity.
Grade 3 – Complete tear of soft tissues and ligaments of the big toe joint. Surgery is required to reattach the torn ligaments and stabilize the joint. Full recovery takes about three months after surgery.
Based on the reports out of Cincinnati, it seems likely that Burrow suffered a Grade 3 injury with complete tearing of key ligaments in his toe. In order to give the ligaments the best chance to make the strongest recovery, surgery is necessary. It’s not the news that Bengals fans or Burrow wanted to hear, but it shouldn’t be a long-term problem assuming the surgery is a success and he commits to a post-op recovery program.
The Bengals are 2-0, and while they’ll have an uphill battle to stay ahead of the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North, it’s conceivable that Burrow could return late in the season if the Bengals can remain in playoff contention. It’s not a death blow for the Bengals, and if they can stay in the running for the playoffs, it’s certainly possible that Burrow could be back on the field for the end of the regular season or a postseason run. We wish him all the best in his surgery and recovery efforts.
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