The Broncos will be without the services of their leading tackler for up to eight weeks (four if he gets his way) after a left leg fracture sustained in practice. Danny Trevathan was carried off the field Tuesday, and has already had an MRI showing what’s been described as a medial tibial impaction fracture.
The bad news is it’s a broken leg. The good news is the ligaments in his knee are intact, and the team has announced he won’t need surgery. The implication is that the fracture doesn’t extend into the knee joint itself—an injury known as a tibial plateau fracture, which is inherently unstable and requires surgical repair. Likewise, a ligament repair is a multi-month surgical recovery.
There’s actually been some conflicting wording regarding the fracture. It’s been called both an impaction fracture, which implies that part of the bone was actually pushed in, and head coach John Fox has described it as “… an impact fracture, which is basically a crack, high on the tibia,'' which sounds far less dramatic.
The rehab would normally extend as long as eight to twelve weeks, but Trevathan has enthusiastically stated he wants to be back on the (very) short end of the healing spectrum. He has youth, health, and a huge Denver training staff on his side, but what he can’t do is make his leg heal faster through sheer force of will. He’ll start out in a splint, bearing weight as tolerated.
Early mobilization is the key to avoiding joint stiffness, so as soon as possible, he’ll be back to full weight bearing in a functional brace which allows knee and ankle movement. This is assuming that X-rays continue to show the bone is healing well and hasn't become displaced. Physical therapy will allow him to regain lost strength and flexibility, and if he has his way he could be back by mid to late September.
What Trevathan does not have is a broken kneecap. He doesn’t have a broken knee, and he doesn’t have torn ligaments. What he does have is a fractured leg, and up to two months of time on the bench. What Denver has is the problem of figuring out if Brandon Marshall can effectively (and quickly) go from practice squad to active roster.
Jo Innes is a real-life doctor and contributor for Sporting News. Follow her on Twitter @JoNana.