Sports Rehab Write-Up: CB Jalen Ramsey
Unreal! The Miami Dolphins just can’t seem to catch a break! After having their 2022 season derailed by injuries, it looks like they’ll be starting the ‘23 season short-handed as well.
Training camp injuries are the worst! During their Thursday July 27th practice, Dolphins star DB Jalen Ramsey suffered a very devastating knee injury. Yahoo Sports reports that Ramsey was guarding Tyreek Hill in coverage during an 11-on-11 session and went out limping & grabbing his left leg following a collision with the speedy receiver.
According to sources close to the team, Ramsey underwent a meniscus repair surgery on the following Friday & is expected to miss nearly two-thirds of the regular season.
Meniscal injuries are actually pretty common, but the menisci aren’t as well known or talked about as the various ligaments of the knee; so, this presents us with a pretty good opportunity to highlight the current literature surrounding meniscal lesions & the rehabilitation process.
Let’s see what we got!
When we speak generally about “the meniscus”, we’re grouping two distinct structures; a C-shaped medial meniscus & an O-shaped lateral meniscus. The structures play a key role in shock absorption, stability, & load transmission across the knee joint. It’s also important to note that the menisci are very closely associated with the ACL, PCL, & MCL; so as you’d imagine, it’s pretty common that a meniscal injury is accompanied by damage to one of these structures, or vice versa.
Anatomy of the meniscus viewed from above // Source: Fox et. al (2015)
As far as we know, Ramsey avoided any ligamentous damage, which bodes well for his return-to-sport timeline. Interestingly, though, Ramsey & his ortho have opted to undergo the more involved meniscal repair as opposed to a partial meniscectomy, a simpler surgery that would get the star DB back on the field much more quickly. An athlete undergoing a partial meniscectomy will usually return to sport within 6 to 8 weeks (Hanna et. al, 2022), but a meniscal repair will sideline an athlete for 4 to 8 months (Sherman et. al, 2020)! This may partially speak to the severity of his injury, but it’s more likely a reflection of Ramsey’s financial security! Though it comes with a notably longer recovery period, research points to the meniscal repair as the better option for long-term outcomes. Most healthcare professionals consider the meniscal repair an overwhelmingly superior procedure!
Surgical decisions like this highlight why NFL guys fight so hard for guaranteed money; they get to put their health first! A partial meniscectomy may seem appealing to an athlete due to its shorter recovery time, but it comes with an increased risk for future development of osteoarthritis, as well as an increased likelihood of an athlete requiring a knee replacement down the line (Hanna et. al, 2022).
Is rushing back ever really worth it?
Ramsey’s journey down the road to recovery has officially begun, as rehab for a post-op meniscal repair should start immediately. The goal right now is to manage pain & swelling, while also steadily maximizing range-of-motion & preserving strength in that left leg. Just last year, Hanna, Smith, & Sebastianelli put together a really thorough, evidence based return-to-sport protocol for post-op meniscal repair athletes. It’s definitely worth a look; outlining very specific progressions & RTS criteria.
The Dolphins already have a pretty difficult season ahead of them; with one of the toughest strength of schedules for 2023! Let’s all join Miami in wishing Jalen Ramsey a speedy recovery & strong, healthy future!
If you’re dealing with a similar injury & seeking professional guidance, consult your trusted physical therapist to equip you with the appropriate strength & ROM exercises to get you back in the lineup!
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Works Cited & Further Reading
Fox, A. J., Wanivenhaus, F., Burge, A. J., Warren, R. F., & Rodeo, S. A. (2015). The human meniscus: a review of anatomy, function, injury, and advances in treatment. Clinical anatomy (New York, N.Y.), 28(2), 269–287. https://doi.org/10.1002/ca.22456vc
Lutz, C., Dalmay, F., Ehkirch, F. P., Cucurulo, T., Laporte, C., Le Henaff, G., Potel, J. F., Pujol, N., Rochcongar, G., Salledechou, E., Seil, R., Gunepin, F. X., Sonnery-Cottet, B., & French Arthroscopy Society (2015). Meniscectomy versus meniscal repair: 10 years radiological and clinical results in vertical lesions in stable knee. Orthopaedics & traumatology, surgery & research : OTSR, 101(8 Suppl), S327–S331. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.otsr.2015.09.008
Sherman, S. L., DiPaolo, Z. J., Ray, T. E., Sachs, B. M., & Oladeji, L. O. (2020). Meniscus Injuries: A Review of Rehabilitation and Return to Play. Clinics in sports medicine, 39(1), 165–183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csm.2019.08.004
Hanna, T., Smith, N. P., & Sebastianelli, W. J. (2022). Treatment, Return to Play, and Performance Following Meniscus Surgery. Current reviews in musculoskeletal medicine, 15(3), 157–169. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12178-022-09754-7
Another season; Expectations are sky high; A star falls in pain.
