Will Jonathon Brooks Overcome His Injury History? As a PT, I dove into the research.

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Hey guys, I am back with research on Jonathon Brooks. Is he finally going to realize his potential in the NFL, or is his 2nd ACL tear too much for him to come back from? As a Physical Therapist, I did some digging. Let’s look at some research! General Athletic Population A meta analysis (52 studies) looked at revision (2nd time) ACL repairs across several sports. It showed about only 48% returned to their prior level of competition. However, these studies are likely diluted with lower level athletes, and wouldn’t apply as well to an elite (NFL) athlete like Brooks. Elite Athlete Research Another study looked at elite athletes specifically (48 individuals). 75% of them were able to return to their prior level, and that number rose to 95% without meniscal involvement (like Jonathon Brooks). ACL Repair vs Revision ACL Repair? One study looked at traumatic ACL revision surgeries vs first time ACL repair surgeries. It showed there was not a significant difference in terms of re-injury rate. Additionally, Brooks had an elite surgeon (Dr. Neal ElAttrache). While it’s not well known what specific surgical techniques he used, it’s likely that he used additional stabilizing techniques. For example LEAP (lateral extra-particular procedures) have shown to improve outcomes. In short, it’s a surgical technique that is done during the ACL repair surgery that takes pressure off the graft and/or provides additional support. It seems likely an elite surgeon would use a procedure like this for a high risk athlete. Performance/re-injury concerns? Risk for injury following an ACL repair drops off significantly around the 2 year mark (right aroudn where the religamentization process is complete). Studies also show a return to performance in year 2 for many professional sports players. Brooks will be 20 months post-op at the beginning of the NFL season. 📊** *Bottom line / TL;**DR* If you are fading Brooks because of his injury, evidence supports that he can return to his prior level. Injury risk is similar to a first time ACL repair and drops off significantly at the 2 year mark. If you believed in Brooks coming into the league, I think you should believe in him now. If you want more in depth video discussion, check out my linked YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@fantasypt?si=vyHNVPTr1BGPyi50 I am also posting on X with up to date injury news, follow here: https://x.com/fantasyfootypt?s=11&t=1WOlJeI04HwClJ1KIuxjzg submitted by /u/brandsss99 [link] [comments]