The Philadelphia Eagles are expected to be without a key piece of their offensive line for an extended period after right tackle Lane Johnson was forced out of Sunday night’s win over the Detroit Lions with a Lisfranc injury.
The injury occurred just past the midway point of the first quarter as the Eagles attempted to convert on 3rd and 1. After the ball was handed to Saquon Barkley, the running back ran into the back of Johnson, and a scrum developed as both sides began pushing the pile. Johnson fell backwards over a pile of bodies as the play was ending, and although it didn’t look too bad in the moment, his ankle must have been rolled up on amid the mess of bodies. He came off the field and was evaluated in the blue medical tent, but he never returned to the game.
Further evaluation eventually revealed that Johnson has suffered a Lisfranc injury, and although it is not expected to be a season ending injury, the Eagles will likely be without Johnson for 4-6 weeks as he recovers. Johnson is expected to seek out a second opinion before the Eagles make a determination as to whether or not to place the tackle on injured reserve, which would force him to sit out at least four weeks.
“I know that he’ll do everything he can do to get back as quick as he possibly can,” Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said on Monday. “We’ll see the time that’s missed.”
Understanding Lisfranc Injuries
We’ve talked about Lisfranc injuries to NFL players many times on the blog in the past, and Johnson is just the next in a long line of players who have been felled by this injury. This type of injury occurs when the midfoot is twisted when the foot is plantar-flexed, meaning that weight is being placed on the front of the foot. This rotational force on the midfoot when it is in a plantar-flexed position can overstress the strong midfoot ligaments, leading to tears in the ligaments or displacement of bones in the midfoot.
Most mild to moderate Lisfranc injuries heal well without surgery, but these injuries still require proactive care. In most instances, the patient is placed in a protective walking boot for weeks to limit stress on the midfoot as the structures heal. After a few weeks, the cast is removed and the patient dives into a physical therapy program to regain strength and stability in the midfoot ligaments. Mild Lisfranc disruption can be addressed in about four weeks, but more severe injuries can take eight weeks or longer, especially if surgical correction is warranted.
Although it’s still early and we are not privy to the imaging results, it sees likely that Johnson was able to avoid a major Lisfranc injury, and thus the 4-6 week timetable with a conservative approach seems appropriate. However, these types of injuries can linger, especially for linemen who oftentimes get their feet into a plantar flexed position while pass blocking, so it’s imperative that the Eagles don’t rush Johnson back before he’s ready. They should be able to play it safe given their playoff positioning relative to the rest of their division, and given Johnson’s injury history, everyone should want to ensure he’s back to full health before he suits back up for game action. We wish him the best of luck with his rehab and recovery.
If you need help overcoming a Lisfranc injury or a similar foot and ankle problem, reach out to Dr. Silverman by filling out this contact form.