Dr. Marconi: Chiefs quarterback won’t be fully recovered from high ankle sprain for big game
SOMERS POINT — Philadelphia Eagles 27, Kansas City Chiefs 17.
That’s the Super Bowl prediction of orthopedic surgeon Dr. Dante Marconi, who said quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ high-ankle sprain will limit the mobility and throwing power of the Chiefs signal-caller, allowing the Eagles defense to keep him in check.
Mahomes suffered a high ankle sprain Jan. 21 during a 27-20 AFC Divisional Round victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was 22/30 passing for 195 yards and 2 touchdowns in the game despite suffering the injury on a tackle and being replaced by Chad Henne. He was able to return after being treated on the sideline.
Despite the injury, Mahomes led the Chiefs to a 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship Game eight days later. The quarterback was 29/43 passing for 326 yards and 2 touchdowns.
With two weeks to rest and receive treatment, it would appear as if Mahomes has little to worry about.
Not so, says Marconi, an orthopedic surgeon at Shore Medical Center in Somers Point who specializes in sports medicine and shoulder surgery, as well as shoulder, elbow, hip and knee arthroscopy and shoulder, hip and knee joint replacements.
Marconi focuses on minimally invasive procedures, resulting in limited downtime and rapid return to sports and normal activities, in addition to caring for general bone and joint health.
And he’s a lifelong Philadelphia sports fan.
Marconi grew up in Blackwood and his parents are from the City of Brotherly Love across the Delaware River. Now in his 30s, he grew up in the Donovan McNabb era and “never really lived through the terrible years.”
He also knows what he’s talking about regarding injuries to professional athletes. Marconi did a sports medicine fellowship in Houston, through which he treated members of the Texans, Astros, Rockets, Dynamo and Dash.
“I worked in the locker room closely with players, seeing them at time zero — as soon as injury happens — when you can be more aggressive at treating an injury and ensure the correct rehab as well,” Marconi said.
The doctor said a high ankle sprain involves trauma to one or more of the four ligaments on the outside of the ankle, above the ankle joint, that help stabilize the ankle, tibia and fibula.
“We saw clearly with Mahomes, he planted the foot and the external rotation movement of the ankle continued. Energy puts stress on ligaments, so depending on how severe the force is, it can affect one or more ligaments and can lead to partial injury versus full injury,” he said, noting the significance of the injury affects the recovery process.
Marconi said treatment involves getting X-rays to see if there is bone displacement. If not, it’s treated by limiting inflammation and weight-bearing activities and managing the pain.
Marconi said Mahomes had X-rays at halftime and returned to the game, so there was no fracture or displacement. An MRI was necessary to determine the grade of the injury.
He said recovery from a Grade 1 injury that does not require surgery is typically three to six weeks for a regular Joe. An athlete such as Mahomes might be on the lower end of the recovery timeframe.
Many athletes play through injuries by heavily taping the affected area and even taping the shoe on to increase stability. Marconi called it a tight rope, in which a trainer tightens down the syndesmosis and stabilizes the ankle.
He said the athlete is “still limited but able to be mobile enough to run an offense at a high level.”
However, the athlete risks further injuring the ligaments by continuing to play, especially at the high level required of an NFL quarterback, in addition to the trauma of being tackled.
“If he had a similar mechanism with a less-stable ankle, the injury could progress and possibly lead to a fracture,” Marconi said.
The doctor said the treatment often is dependent on what part of the season the injury occurs and the extent of the damage. A higher-grade injury usually would require surgical stabilization, something that would be performed in the offseason.
“Mahomes could be pushing the issue because of the type of games being played right now,” Marconi said. “If it were the regular season, he would be out two to three weeks and not playing.”
The doctor said from what he saw on TV after Mahomes returned to the game, the injury “seemed to be more severe than less severe, but with adrenalin you can play through pain but then it becomes more swollen. It was definitely surprising that he was able to come out and play.”
Marconi said Mahomes’ ankle should be much better Sunday than it was during the game against the Bengals but he “is unlikely to be comfortable running at any significant speed. He also needs his right foot for a plant leg to throw with velocity.”
Led by quarterback Jalen Hurts, running back Miles Sanders and the league’s top defense, the Philadelphia Eagles locked down a first-round bye while going 13-3 in the regular season.
On Jan. 21 in the divisional round, the Eagles handily defeated archrival New York Giants 38-7 before moving on to top the San Francisco 49ers by a similar score in the NFC Championship Game, 31-7.
Super Bowl LVII is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff