No player that practices football, be it in the NCAA or the NFL is safe from getting an injury from such an intense contact sport. Case in point, the terrible ankle injury suffered by Georgia’s tight end Brock Bowers when he is playing against Vanderbilt.
The tight end had to leave the game and Georgia coach Kirby Smith had to scramble, eventually grabbing a victory against Vanderbilt. But what is the status of the lesion that Brock Bowers suffered, and how will it impact his performance? Moreover, with this knock, how is this going to affect Georgia’s season?
Let’s take a look at the most recent and impactful lesion for Georgia’s roster this season and learn a bit about how the mechanism of the injury takes place, what steps are needed to solve it and much more.
What Happened To Brock Bowers?
Georgia tight end Brock Bowers injured his left ankle in the second quarter of the Saturday game against Vanderbilt, the lesion took place after a fourteen-yard gain on an end-around. Bowers was massively tackled by Savion Riley on the sideline, and Brock had a rough time getting up and limping his way to the sidelines.
But the pain was too much, the man collapsed on the grass on both knees, and in a gesture of frustration the man punched the turf.
The medical staff and trainers came to his aid, helped Brock get on his foot and he was seen limping his way into the medical tent. Eventually, Georgia won that game, by the time Brock got the knock, they were up 24 points against Vanderbilt.
What Lesion Does Brock Bowers Have?
After the game, Kirby Smith told the press that the X-ray on the Tight End was negative. Still there are more studies needed to be performed on this athlete as an X-ray only shows certain types of lesions. Meanwhile, a magnetic resonance imaging study will tell the medical team whether or not Brock’s left ankle suffered damage in its connective tissue. Brock Bowers will have to visit the operating room for the stabilization of his left ankle.
Brock’s injury is technically known as a syndesmotic sprain or syndesmosis injury. It is an injury of the ankle that touches the ligaments that connect the shinbone and fibula above the ankle joint. This is a serious lesion and a very common one in athletes like Brock Bowers who practice high-impact activities.
How Is An Ankle Sprain Produced?
A high ankle sprain takes place when there’s an external rotational force applied to the ankle, or when the foot’s toes are pulled upward while the heel is pushed down. When do these events take place? When we plant our foot and pivot, just like in football.
That stress on those ligaments that connect our shinbone and fibula causes them to stretch or overstretch, causing pain above the ankle joint, making us lose our stability, the area gets swelled and bruised, it feels tender, and we can’t move all that well.
How Is Brock Bowers’s Injury Treated?
Bowers will have a trip to the operating room because there might be significant ligament damage or instability. That surgical procedure repairs and stabilizes the torn ligaments. That, coupled with rest, immobilization, ice, lots of physical therapy and anti-inflammatory medications are the treatments.
Bowers will have to wait until his injury heals, and gradually return to the field, and that could take quite some time.
How Does The Season Look For Georgia With Bowers Injured?
Currently, Georgia sits at the top of the SEC East with a 7-0 winning streak, trailed by Florida and Missouri. Georgia’s next game is against Florida on Saturday 28 October 2023 at 15:30 hrs Eastern Time, United States. Coach Kirby Smith has Oscal Delp, and Lawson Lickie as Tight end replacements for Bowers.
Can the Bulldogs win with their star sent to the hurt locker? With a historic 7-0 winning streak, they have to deal with a lot of pressure to keep things going. Still, with good strategy, they could manage it. We hope that Brock Bowers gets well soon.
