New York Giants’ wide receiver Hakeem Nicks will most likely sit out in week 17 with a broken toe. The news was released today that the injury was in fact a broken big toe on his left foot. It is not clear whether the injury occurred during the game on Sunday against Green Bay. The Giants lost that game 45 to 17.
Injuries to the great toe are extremely common in turf sports such as football. The combination of flexible shoes on a hard surface creates the perfect combination for the development of turf toe, which is a hyperextension injury to the first metatarsopahalangeal joint (MTPJ). This joint connects the great toe to the rest of the foot.
Fractures of the great toe may also be due to a single traumatic event, or to repetitive stress to the bones. In Nicks’ case, it is unclear whether the injury occurred during a game or during practice.
Nicks’ injury comes at an awful time for the New York Giants, whose playoff hopes are dwindling fast. Their injury report is crowded with players already, some of which are other foot and ankle injuries.
Center Shaun O’Hara has missed nine games this season due to Achilles, ankle, and foot injuries. O’Hara was also picked for the NFC Pro Bowl roster, a decision which many sports fans see as ill-advised. O’Hara will also be doubtful for week seventeen, as his Achillles condition has flared up in the past few days.
Running back Ahamad Bradshaw is also questionable for this week’s game with an ankle injury that limited his production in week sixteen. The official report has him listed with a sprained ankle. Lateral ankle injuries are often very difficult to rehab, as we’ve written about before. The key to non-operative treatment is adding to stability to the joint with the use of braces.
Other players on the Giants’ injury report include Will Blackmon (knee), Chris Canty (neck), Antrel Rolle (ankle), Dave Tollefson (knee), Justin Tuck (chest), Osi Umenyiora (knee), and Corey Webster (ribs).
Injuries like those plaguing the Giants, many of which are injuries to the lower extremity, can be extremely common in football. Especially late in the season, when fatigue and inclement weather start to play a greater factor, lower extremity injuries start popping up everywhere, effecting nearly every team. Proper training and conditioning is essential to avoiding these types of injuries, not only in the professional athlete, but in the casual athlete as well.
