This article is part of our Injury Analysis series.
Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson
After weeks of gathering information and visiting with specialists, the Packers receiver has opted for surgery on his ailing groin. He was presented with two possibilities, surgery or injection. Jennings elected to go under the knife, fearing an injection would only mask the root of the injury. The surgery will repair the associated damage, and Green Bay hopes to have him back in three weeks. There has been some confusion regarding the reports since some have described it as abdominal surgery.
Jennings is suffering from a condition known as a sports hernia, a condition that affects a specific type of cartilage, known as the pubic symphysis, which conjoins the pubic bones. Known in the medical world as athletic pubalgia, a hernia of this nature forms as repetitive forces placed through the pubic symphysis are redirected into the groin and abdominals resulting in small tears in the muscle. These tears weaken the abdominal wall and inguinal canal, creating the perfect environment for a hernia to develop and protrude through the area. The hernia causes pain in the groin and abdominals while limiting hip function. For a receiver, any limitation in the area can disrupt his ability to perform even the smallest task.
The surgery Jennings will undergo will repair the area. In the procedure, any herniated protrusion is returned to its normal location and the damaged area is reinforced with a surgical mesh to prevent re-occurrence. The procedure has a high success rate and generally requires
Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson
After weeks of gathering information and visiting with specialists, the Packers receiver has opted for surgery on his ailing groin. He was presented with two possibilities, surgery or injection. Jennings elected to go under the knife, fearing an injection would only mask the root of the injury. The surgery will repair the associated damage, and Green Bay hopes to have him back in three weeks. There has been some confusion regarding the reports since some have described it as abdominal surgery.
Jennings is suffering from a condition known as a sports hernia, a condition that affects a specific type of cartilage, known as the pubic symphysis, which conjoins the pubic bones. Known in the medical world as athletic pubalgia, a hernia of this nature forms as repetitive forces placed through the pubic symphysis are redirected into the groin and abdominals resulting in small tears in the muscle. These tears weaken the abdominal wall and inguinal canal, creating the perfect environment for a hernia to develop and protrude through the area. The hernia causes pain in the groin and abdominals while limiting hip function. For a receiver, any limitation in the area can disrupt his ability to perform even the smallest task.
The surgery Jennings will undergo will repair the area. In the procedure, any herniated protrusion is returned to its normal location and the damaged area is reinforced with a surgical mesh to prevent re-occurrence. The procedure has a high success rate and generally requires a four-to-six week recovery window. The Packers hope to have Jennings back sooner than that, believing he should be able to return in three weeks. Unfortunately, Mother Nature is not cooperating. Hurricane Sandy caused Jennings to reschedule his surgery, originally planned for Tuesday in Philadelphia. Green Bay will wait to set a new date until the final impact of Sandy has been determined. Look for the surgery to occur sometime next week and Jennings to target a Week 14 return.
To complicate the issue, Nelson is always dealing with a lower extremity injury. He was sidelined for the team's win over Jacksonville with a strained hamstring. The injury limited him throughout the week, and he was a late scratch after attempts to loosen the area up were unsuccessful. This week will be more of the same as his practice reps will be limited and a likely game-time decision on the horizon. The Packers have a bye slated in Week 10 so don't be shocked if the team elects to give him a solid two weeks off to insure he's healthy.
Ryan Tannehill
The Dolphins hope to have their rookie quarterback back in time to face the Colts and their rookie quarterback, Andrew Luck. Tannehill left the team's blowout win over the Jets with a bruised quadriceps muscle and a hyperextended left knee. Tannehill underwent a MRI on Monday that revealed no significant damage. There was some cause for concern entering the tests as Tannehill underwent surgery on this same knee while in high school to repair meniscus damage. However, it appears like he dodged a bullet and has a chance to play this weekend. His availability will be determined how well the leg responds to treatment. The Miami medical staff will focus on treating the muscular injury and any associated limitation. It is important this gets treated so they can also focus on any range of motion restrictions due to the hyperextension injury. Expect him to be limited in the early portions of the week and be a game-time decision Sunday.
Jake Locker
The Titans released a bit of news that makes Locker's absence slightly easier to understand. Locker has been out recovering from a shoulder dislocation and labrum tear to his non-throwing shoulder, but the team revealed he also suffered a shoulder fracture on the play. The Titans did not detail the location of the fracture, but given the information it seems likely he broke his acromion, a small bony protuberance on the shoulder blade. The bone serves as an anchor for multiple ligaments in the shoulder, helping stabilize several joints. Locker should be cleared as soon as the bone heals, but it remains probable he will need offseason surgery to repair the labral damage. Matt Hasselbeck remains the starter and likely will remain in that role until Week 12 following Tennessee's bye week.
TURF BURNS
DeMarco Murray: The Cowboys reported that Murray is progressing from his midfoot sprain and has an outside shot at playing against the Falcons. The game is Sunday night, giving him a little more time to receive treatment. Unfortunately, it puts fantasy owners in a difficult spot and it may be wise to find a suitable back for Week 9.
Maurice Jones-Drew: The Jaguars spared fantasy owners another week of waiting and already ruled MJD out for Week 9. His foot sprain is not a Lisfranc injury but is still expected to sideline him for at least one more week.
Aaron Hernandez: The tight end did not travel with his teammates to London for their victory over St. Louis. The decision increases the odds of Hernandez playing following the Patriots' Week 9 bye. His lingering ankle injury continues to be an issue, and the team hopes the extra rest will finally remedy the situation.
Steelers running backs: The three primary running backs on the Pittsburgh depth chart remain hobbled by various injuries. Jonathan Dwyer (quad), Isaac Redman (ankle) and Rashard Mendenhall (Achilles) are expected to be limited in practice and no decision had been made on who will start Sunday. Whoever makes it through practice would be the starter by default but remains a risky play.
Brady Quinn: A concussion will keep Quinn out of the Thursday night game and keep former starter Matt Cassel behind center. Neither player has shown much fantasy value this season, but it will be interesting how this affects the rest of the Kansas City offense, Dwayne Bowe in particular.
Jeff Stotts is a Certified Athletic Trainer, MAT, PES and the Injury Analyst for RotoWire.
Follow @RotoWireATC on Twitter.
