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Matt Milano and Surgeries in the NFL


Irv

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Matt Milano had surgery on his broken leg.  I'm wondering why NFL players routinely have surgery after break?  Does it help heal faster/better?  Searched the net and couldn't find much on the topic.  I'm sure it is better and wondering, other than cost, why the average Joe doesn't get the same treatment.  Is it even an option for John Q. Public?  Anybody know?  I haven't broken a bone in 40+ years.    

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They put in plates or screws to ensure proper realignment, and to give more strength to the repair.  If I recall it's his fibula, which doesn't bear much weight, but if broken near where it articulates with the ankle could be more problematic.gives

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1 hour ago, CaptnCoke11 said:

Probably had some screws or a plate put in to stabilize it 

Exactly this reason...while a normal person doesn't need this, football players aren't normal people and the affected bone will be having much more stress put on it.  Plates/screws are put in to ensure it both heals properly and is as strong as possible when it does heal.

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1 hour ago, matter2003 said:

Exactly this reason...while a normal person doesn't need this, football players aren't normal people and the affected bone will be having much more stress put on it.  Plates/screws are put in to ensure it both heals properly and is as strong as possible when it does heal.

 While it's true that players have more surgeries, it's because their profession puts stresses on their bodies that the ordinary person would not normally suffer.  So in my case, I have a torn rotator cuff in both shoulders, but have not had surgery because I don't put daily stress on my shoulders that might cause greater damage.  However, a QB or baseball player who is throwing everyday would be shutdown and have surgery.

 

With respect to Milano's ankle injury, it has to do with the type of break he probably suffered.  If anything was displaced, then the insertion of plates and screws is necessary to realign the bones and allow proper healing.  Again, I have some experience with this as I'm currently recovering from a broken ankle (Suffered the week before Milano's) and surgery.   In my case, I not only displaced the fracture, but had 3 separate fractures that needed repair (something akin to the Theisman and Hurns breaks).

 

Lastly, I think medical treatment has changed over the years such that I think any type of ankle fracture is treated with surgery because its weight-bearing structure whether you're a football or normal person.  So they insert at least screws so the the bones heals properly.

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4 hours ago, Irv said:

Matt Milano had surgery on his broken leg.  I'm wondering why NFL players routinely have surgery after break?  Does it help heal faster/better?  Searched the net and couldn't find much on the topic.  I'm sure it is better and wondering, other than cost, why the average Joe doesn't get the same treatment.  Is it even an option for John Q. Public?  Anybody know?  I haven't broken a bone in 40+ years.    

Depends on complexity of break- as simple as clean fracture where the ends are congruent to a spiral, SALTER Harris ankle, likelihood of break and avascular issues occurring, which bone- tibia is significant in load bearing but it’s friend and neighbor- fibula isn’t, relocation dease & distance,, cartilaginous issue, tendon, ligament injury with #, compound # with Debris- bits of stadium turf...

...had a patient with significant spiral # of 5th metatarsal resulting in shortened length & likelihood of major bone callus- if it healed, less than 50% congruence. 2 Dr’s said Moonboot, another- relocate and pin- option 3 was recommended!

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5 hours ago, billsfanmiami(oh) said:

Yeah they never do surgery on broken bones for the general public. Bastards...??‍♂️

 

My 75 year old MIL had surgery with pins after breaking her ankle in the yard. There was nothing ordinary about her, however. 

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6 hours ago, Irv said:

Matt Milano had surgery on his broken leg.  I'm wondering why NFL players routinely have surgery after break?  Does it help heal faster/better?  Searched the net and couldn't find much on the topic.  I'm sure it is better and wondering, other than cost, why the average Joe doesn't get the same treatment.  Is it even an option for John Q. Public?  Anybody know?  I haven't broken a bone in 40+ years.    

 

I'm not so certain football players would routinely have surgery after any break - surgery carries its own risks.  For certain breaks, surgery (called ORIF, open reduction internal fixation) is quite common because it's difficult to properly set and immobilize the bone without it.   What I think is that the broken bones football players are prone to get, tend to be fractures that benefit from internal fixation.

 

I had an ORIF on my ankle when I broke the fibula near the ankle and a piece off the ankle bone, geesh, almost 38 years ago.  (Now I feel old) 

 

For some fractures where it's not a clear cut thing, I believe the fixation has been shown to shorten the healing time and allow the player to return to exercise and strength training more quickly.

Where's @Mr. WEO

 

He'll set us straight here

 

 

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12 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

I'm not so certain football players would routinely have surgery after any break - surgery carries its own risks.  For certain breaks, surgery (called ORIF, open reduction internal fixation) is quite common because it's difficult to properly set and immobilize the bone without it.   What I think is that the broken bones football players are prone to get, tend to be fractures that benefit from internal fixation.

 

I had an ORIF on my ankle when I broke the fibula near the ankle and a piece off the ankle bone, geesh, almost 38 years ago.  (Now I feel old) 

 

For some fractures where it's not a clear cut thing, I believe the fixation has been shown to shorten the healing time and allow the player to return to exercise and strength training more quickly.

Where's @Mr. WEO

 

He'll set us straight here

 

 

 

 

Looks like Shamrock set us straight.

 

Essentially, not all fractures need surgery.  Depends on the bone, the displacement and any vascular impending jury...and the likelihood of union without surgery.

 

No evidence NFL players enjoy lower threshold for operation.

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On 1/25/2019 at 6:13 PM, Shamrock said:

Depends on complexity of break- as simple as clean fracture where the ends are congruent to a spiral, SALTER Harris ankle, likelihood of break and avascular issues occurring, which bone- tibia is significant in load bearing but it’s friend and neighbor- fibula isn’t, relocation dease & distance,, cartilaginous issue, tendon, ligament injury with #, compound # with Debris- bits of stadium turf...

...had a patient with significant spiral # of 5th metatarsal resulting in shortened length & likelihood of major bone callus- if it healed, less than 50% congruence. 2 Dr’s said Moonboot, another- relocate and pin- option 3 was recommended!

 I guess you cant or wont give an opinion on how severe Milano's is since you dont have access to any more data than we have.

 

Wonder what the status of Alex Smith an his leg situation are.

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On 1/25/2019 at 2:39 PM, Irv said:

Matt Milano had surgery on his broken leg.  I'm wondering why NFL players routinely have surgery after break?  Does it help heal faster/better?  Searched the net and couldn't find much on the topic.  I'm sure it is better and wondering, other than cost, why the average Joe doesn't get the same treatment.  Is it even an option for John Q. Public?  Anybody know?  I haven't broken a bone in 40+ years.    

 

Of course you haven’t broke a bone, Irv.

 

You’re dead.

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On 1/25/2019 at 2:39 PM, Irv said:

Matt Milano had surgery on his broken leg.  I'm wondering why NFL players routinely have surgery after break?  Does it help heal faster/better?  Searched the net and couldn't find much on the topic.  I'm sure it is better and wondering, other than cost, why the average Joe doesn't get the same treatment.  Is it even an option for John Q. Public?  Anybody know?  I haven't broken a bone in 40+ years.    

 

Well, dunno about that.  I consider myself an average Joe, and a few years back, I took a hard tumble and fractured my wrist.  I was admitted to the hospital, where they operated to place a titanium plate and 8 screws.

 

It healed perfectly, and quickly.

 

(And, I enjoyed the Fentynal and Dilaudid they  gave me for anesthesia! ?)

.

 

Edited by The Senator
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