Ankle Injuries: Trend or Coincidence?

[Andy]

Ankle injuries have been killing the Colts this season.

 

At first, Vick Ballard was out for the season with a torn Achilles tendon. That's already a bad start. Since then, the biggest signing of the offseason

 

Arthur Jones has missed the majority of the season with a nagging ankle injury as well.

 

Josh McNary has also had some issues with ankle injuries and has missed practices and not been 100% because of it. He missed a game because of it.

 

Earlier this season, Jack Mewhort and Darius Butler each missed at least one game each because of ankle injuries. Both are key starters on offense and defense and their impact was felt in each game.

 

Finally, just last night, in a big game against the Patriots, the Colts lost two hugely important players to both ankle injuries. We're still waiting for confirmation on Ahmad Bradshaw but it seems like he has broken his ankle and would miss the rest of the season. On top of that, Dwayne Allen missed the majority of the game due to an ankle injury and reports indicate that it is a high ankle sprain. Nevertheless, the Colts didn't have a great blocker (in a game where the running game amassed 19 yards, 15 of which from Andrew Luck scrambles). If it's a high ankle sprain for Allen, he'd be expected to miss next week's game and be questionable after that. High ankle sprains are tricky and need to be watched carefully.

 

So the Colts have lost at least one, probably two running backs for the season due to ankle injuries. They haven't gotten any major contributions from their biggest free agent signing due to an ankle injury. Different players over the course of the season (Mewhort, Butler, McNary) have missed games because of the injury. Players like Joe Reitz, RJF, Khaled Holmes, Mike Adams and Josh Chapman have also missed practice time and even games because of the injuries. On top of all of this, the best tight end on the team who excels at blocking and is very good at receiving, is not a question mark going forward (in the next few games) because of an ankle injury.

 

What I'm still trying to figure out is this is a trend due to poor steps and measures taken by the medical staff (and even coaching staff) or is it a true coincidence?

 

I compared our injury report to the one of the Broncos & Packers. These are somewhat random, but these are two of the best teams in the NFL, with pass first offenses and top notch quarterbacks (like Indy). Indianapolis has had 12 different players show up on the Injury Report for ankle injuries and have Ballard and Bradshaw (assuming Bradshaw's ankle is broken) on the IR for the injuries as well. Dwayne Allen's ankle injury will also make him show up on the injury report, bringing that number up to 15 different players. The amount of money that is off the field due to ankle injuries!

 

Compared to teams like the Broncos, they have had 3 different players show up on the Injury Report for ankle injuries (none on IR). The Packers had 4 different players show up on the Injury Report for ankle injuries (none on IR, at least no major players on IR (didn't check practice squad caliber players on IR). The Colts have double the amount of those teams combined! 

 

So I ask the question again, trend or coincidence? Personally, when I played football I always taped my ankle tight and it was something our coach preached and we rarely had ankle injuries. I'm not sure what the rules are towards taping ankles or ankle protection, but clearly something isn't working. To start calling for the heads of the medical staff would be (funny at first) irrational, but with the Colts being a team known for it's various amounts of injuries in the past, it's time to perhaps start changing some things behind closed doors (in terms of their mentality). I'm not a medical expert or a doctor or anything, but this is when it's time to start putting their pHd's together, start thinking as one and start to come up with ways of reducing injuries, especially ankle injuries because this is getting ridiculous.

 

Thoughts on this?

[NewColtsFan]

At this point, I'd say coincidence.....

 

But we'd have to know more to have a better understanding.

 

Where the injuries caused by contact...   or landing wrong....    or trying to cut...   or someone falling on them....

 

Odds are....   this is just a string of bad luck that all teams go through in the NFL.....

 

Brutal game....

[runthepost]

When I played WR I never injured my ankle unless I rolled it on someones foot. I never did tape my ankle but I wore a knee brace time from time since I severely sprained my knee when I played basketball.

[ColtsLegacy]

Or is it Rob Ninkovich* twisting ankles at the bottom of piles?

* I'm pretty sure it was him on Bradshaws injury

[ColtsLegacy]

What's your point?

[Bluefire4]

ankle injuries have been decimating the enitre NFL this season.