ESPN radio called the other day to talk about Terrell Owens' ankle injury. They wanted to know if he would make it back in time for the Super Bowl. The 6'3", 225 lb, All Pro, wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles suffered a nasty injury on December 19, 2004 in which he sustained a severe sprain of his ankle's deltoid ligament and a fracture of his fibula. Team physicians and trainers determined that surgery was necessary, so he went under the knife on December 22, 2004. Terrell had two metal screws (and a plate), called syndesmosis screws, drilled into the end of his fibula and tibia to stabilize the joint (see the image below for an example of syndesmosis screws). 
The question is not whether will he play, but rather should he play?
His surgeon, one of the foremost experts in foot and ankle surgery, Mark Meyerson, MD, will not clear Terrell to play. I agree. The Super Bowl is February 6, 2005, just over six weeks from surgery. Bone needs at least six weeks to heal. And, the price of rushing his rehab is steep. No one thus far has discussed this: delayed union of the bone, chronic instability, early arthritis, or re-fracture to name a few. Any one of these will end his career.
If Terrell is on the field for the Super Bowl, he is not playing football. He is playing Russian roulette with his career.
Doug Kelsey
Author. Teacher. Therapist.
