Since we are talking about the Super Bowl

The Super Bowl is one of the biggest party days of the year for Americans all over the country, and when the dust settles, most people only remember the winner.

This year, it was the Baltimore Ravens triumphing over the San Francisco 49ers, with the Baltimore defense giving fans the lasting image of this year’s Super Bowl.

But, as has become more and more clear over the past couple of years, football can be an extremely dangerous sport, and the biggest game of the year is no exception.

Super Bowl XLVII – Haloti Ngata

The Ravens defense was anchored by veterans Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, but one of their most important players on the defensive line this year was Haloti Ngata. Tallying 51 tackles and five sacks for the season, Ngata helped establish the Ravens as one of the best defensive teams in the league.

In the Super Bowl, the Ravens defense was very strong in stopping the 49ers’ running game, but Ngata didn’t make it to the final whistle.

In the third quarter of the game, Ngata was blocked by San Francisco offensive lineman Alex Boone and fell oddly and injured his knee. Initial reports indicated a sprained MCL, but he wound up not needing surgery for this offseason. For a large lineman, Ngata was lucky, because those types of falls can frequently do a lot more damage.

The medial collateral ligament is one of the ligaments that stabilize the knee, and injuries can result in instability and the early onset of arthritis. Injuries are most likely to occur when the knee is hit from the outside, as was the case when Ngata was injured in the Super Bowl.

Super Bowl XLVI – Jake Ballard and Travis Beckum

The New York Giants tight ends weren’t quite so lucky in last year’s Super Bowl against the New England Patriots.

In the second quarter of that game, with the Giants holding a narrow lead and driving up the field, backup tight end Travis Beckum went down with a knee injury. He had been

blocking for a Giants runner up the field, and he landed awkwardly on his right leg. The result was a torn anterior cruciate ligament, one of the worst injuries an athlete can suffer.

Then, just a short time later, the Giants’ starting tight end, Jake Ballard, went down with the same injury. After suffering the injury in the second half, Ballard attempted to shake off the injury and get back on the field, but he wound up crumbling to the ground on the sideline. Doctors originally suspected a torn meniscus, but an MRI following the game showed an ACL tear.

Neither player was able to make much of an impact the following season. Beckum stayed with the Giants but was targeted for only one pass, while Ballard was moved to the Patriots, for whom he never played during the 2012 season.

The ACL is another of the ligaments stabilizing the knee, and goes across the knee to hold it steady, forming an “X” along with the PCL. Injuries can be especially detrimental to athletes, although normal cases usually result in nearly full recovery.

Anyways… Super Bowl are nice to watch, football is thrilling to play. However, always be careful when it comes to high impact sports like this. You may end up meeting Dr. Mead. 😉

Surgeon’s Advice | Leon Mead MD Orthopedic Doctor | 730 Goodlette Road North, Suite 201  Naples Florida 34102 | Phone: (239) 262-1119