While I am not involved in Tua's care and have no access to his x-rays or other studies, as an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine, I have tried to explain a dislocated hip and its treatment and possible long-term outcome in the paragraphs below. Tagovailoa revealed he will attend the NFL Combine on Feb. 27 - Mar. In some cases, especially when a coexisting fracture exists, surgery might be needed to reduce the femoral head and fix the fracture. Dr. David J. Chao, self styled @ProFootballDoc, weighed in on the matter. And it was just very unfortunate that I got hurt every season. You’re gonna get hurt. AL.com has reported that Tagovailoa will be healthy enough to throw 60-80 passes in front of NFL scouts, either at Alabama's Pro Day on March 24th or later on in April. “And so once we kind of get a gauge on the healing process from there, then I think that’s when the doctors would be able to communicate with me and my family and tell us we’re going to be good or here’s things we need to be cautious about still.”. He was transported to a local hospital before being flown to Birmingham for further studies (likely a CT scan and/or MRI). A middle-aged jogger feels a sharp pain in her heel – and she searches for answers on WebMD. That seems logical enough. My main concern is to go over there and win my MRI, win my CT scan there.”, Just A Minute: Why the Key to Where Tua Tagovailoa Gets Drafted May be a Georgia Guy. I’m fine," Tagovailoa said. Most often, these injuries occur in a traumatic event like a motor vehicle accident, where the patient's knee is driven into the dashboard of the car, forcing the femoral head out of the socket. Whether surgery is needed to fix the posterior wall acetabular fracture depends on how stable the femoral head is in the acetabulum after it has been reduced back in place. University of Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a season-ending injury Saturday in the Crimson Tide's 38-7 win over Mississippi State. 1 spot in the latest polls, A different way at looking at all things Alabama athletics through the eyes of Anthony Sisco, Your daily briefing on what's going on with Alabama athletics, Alabama fans hope to light up cigars for the 14th straight year as the Crimson Tide football team heads to Tennessee, After allowing 24 points in the first half, the Crimson Tide blanked the Bulldogs in the last 30 minutes of play. “[Football] is a physical sport. In the process, the femoral head often breaks off a piece of the acetabulum, leading to a posterior wall fracture in this case. I got to experience being at the top of the mountain where I felt like everything was just there for me. A star running back limps off the field after a big hit – and millions of fantasy football fans scour the internet for updates on the injury. “Up to this point, I think rehab has been going really great. That hip injury was nothing more than a freak occurrence that required his knee to be in just that position as all of that weight came crashing down on it. Tagovailoa expressed his concern over what is next in his road back to full health, a CT scan less than two weeks from now: I think up to this point, what I’m most worried about is getting the CT scan done with our MRIs after the three-month mark, so it wouldn’t be this upcoming Monday but the following week,” Tagovailoa said. I'm an orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist, field after being injured on a play in the first half of a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium on November 16, 2019 in Starkville, Mississippi. "All I can say is whatever team decides to pick me, they’re going to get someone who’s going to work hard,” Tagovailoa said, “Someone who’s going to be a leader for the team and who’s going to hopefully put the team in the best situation to become successful.”, Uncertainty is the key word in the NFL these days, and not just with the Dallas Cowboys after losing quarterback Dak Prescott, The Crimson Tide signal caller threw for over 400 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-24 defeat over Georgia this past weekend, The Crimson Tide senior wide receiver did as he pleased in a solid outing against the Georgia Bulldogs this past Saturday, The first rivalry matchup of the season is here for the Crimson Tide and Nick Saban knows his team can't underestimate the Volunteers, The video of the Crimson Tide coach and his players went viral among Alabama fans this past weekend, A quick look at the Crimson Tide's case to take over the No. The star quarterback – and possible #1 pick in next year's NFL Draft prior to this injury – was injured late in the second quarter. "I just think it’s good, in a sense, because that’s just how life is. That just comes with it. I don't believe that to be the case for @Tuaamann or most athletes. Tua Tagovailoa discusses his season-ending hip injury suffered against Mississippi State and maps out his future plans and road to recovery. 5 overall. He says his goal there will be to "win his medical. A star running back limps off the field after a big hit – and millions of fantasy football fans scour the internet for updates on the injury. To me, "injury prone" means an athlete is more likely to get hurt than another put in the exact same situation. 125 million adults exercise regularly. And almost 200 million Americans are self-professed sports fans. A 12-year-old Little Leaguer. I doubt the Kansas City Chiefs plan on kicking him to the curb any time soon. This is indeed a reasonable criticism, and something that Tua will have to learn. Injury to the sciatic nerve can also accompany a hip dislocation, especially if the femoral head is out of the acetabulum for a long period of time. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images). You don’t take things for granted as much. They always appear threaded like that otherwise, and it gets ugly. I can’t control that.”. ", "That’s why I think at the Combine, my main focus is to win my medical," Tagovailoa said. From ESPN: “I’m not playing badminton. Finally, Dr. Chao mentions the litany of finger problems that come up in the NFL, mostly from hitting helmets on follow through as Tua did, and then offers him some advice. ”It’s a part of the game. While it is not a common football injury (Nick Saban calling it "a freak thing" is reasonable), it can occur exactly as it happened Saturday, with an athlete's knee driven into the ground and forcing the femoral head out of the acetabulum. Bradford ended up going #1 overall. What Tua Tagovailoa Said at the Super Bowl About His Injury Recovery and the NFL Draft . But I’m grateful that I got to experience both sides of the spectrum. You’ve got to cope with it.". Sources told ESPN that Tagovailoa also suffered a posterior wall fracture in the injury. Still, Tua also had issues with both of his ankles and also broke a finger in spring camp prior to his sophomore season. Earlier this morning, Tagovailoa was on FS1's "First Things First" and he opened up the interview with an update on his recovery process: "I’m doing good. In ESPN's Mel Kiper, Jr.'s latest mock draft, he has Tagovailoa going to the Miami Dolphins at No. The tweet above is a link, so you can click it to read the entire thread if you like. You understand the maturity that comes with not winning. Everyone else is going to be there to win the 40, win the bench press. Register today for free or log in to access this premium article. Reduction of the dislocation, or putting the femoral head back into the acetabulum, is important to decrease the risk of any nerve or blood vessel complications. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. It is an injury that anyone would suffer in those circumstances, and nothing more than a continuation of the brutal luck that befell the Alabama team in 2019. First, on the ankles: I’d say this season turned out pretty well for Mahomes, and he also missed time with a knee issue. This is especially true when a player makes “next plays” like this one. Is Tua at a higher risk of future injury than other QBs in this class? Avascular necrosis, where the bone of the femoral head dies, can develop in the months and years after the dislocation. In a statement from Alabama team physician Dr. Lyle Cain, Tua suffered a hip dislocation. A doctor performs the reduction in an emergency room or operating room where adequate sedation can be given to the patient. © 2020 Forbes Media LLC. Afterward, he spoke with old friend Mike Locksley about the workout on Instagram Live. First, he defines “injury prone.”. All of them want information, and they want it in a form that is fast, accurate, understandable, and entertaining. A 12-year-old Little Leaguer begs his coach to teach him to throw a curveball – and the parents want answers when the coach refuses. When asked about what team he would prefer to draft him, the always humble Tagovailoa gave the answer you would expect him to give. You may opt-out by. FAYETTEVILLE, AR - NOVEMBER 9: Tua Tagovailoa #13 of the Alabama Crimson Tide is helped off the ... [+] field after being injured on a play in the first half of a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium on November 16, 2019 in Starkville, Mississippi. Sometimes a CT scan is necessary, especially when a fracture of the acetabulum appears on the x-rays. (3:32) (3:32) Facebook It comes with losing. And then also just being in the peak of the valley, just being low. We’re on pace for a full recovery. A hip dislocation is medical emergency, so getting x-rays of the hip and pelvis are important to show the femoral head outside of the acetabulum. If a hip dislocation is properly and quickly reduced, and if surgery to fix the acetabular fracture isn't needed or the surgery gets the fracture to heal in anatomic position, an athlete can often return to play. A posterior dislocation, like what Tagovailoa suffered, usually occurs when the femoral is driven behind the acetabulum, toward the buttock. I’m Dr. David Geier, a double-board certified orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in Charleston, South Carolina and author of That's Gotta Hurt: The Injuries That Changed Sports Forever. An unlikely drive and unexpected field goal shifts momentum in an instant. Doctor explains why Tua Tagovailoa doesn’t deserve “injury prone” label, WATCH: Georgia tries out a virtual head coach on SEC Shorts, Jumbo Package: Tide remains #2 headed into Tennessee hate week, Sunday Morning Hangover: 23 Seconds That Flipped the Game. 8 “close, then less close” graphs from the Georgia game, The Tide had at least moderate advantages across most categories, Who Needs a Blog Poll 2020: Week 7 — Meet the new boss, same as the old boss, Kirby Smart has nightmares of DeVonta Smith, ESPN analyst Jon Gruden made him acknowledge in the draft leadup. You learn when you’re successful, and then I think you learn more when you’re not as successful. All Rights Reserved, This is a BETA experience. Often the posterior wall fracture is large enough that the hip is unstable, so the orthopedic surgeon surgically puts the fracture back in anatomic position and holds it in place with a plate and screws. Nothing that has happened to him thus far in any way suggests that he will be more likely to suffer injury than any other mobile NFL QB. Ten years ago, Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford was coming off of two shoulder injuries, and then-ESPN analyst Jon Gruden made him acknowledge in the draft leadup that he is too critical to the team’s success to get hurt trying to do too much. Over 44 million children and adolescents play sports in the United States today. A hip dislocation is a rare traumatic injury of the hip joint where the femoral head (ball of the ball-and-socket joint) pops out from the acetabulum (the socket). I provide leading commentary and education on sports and exercise injuries, injury treatment and prevention to help you stay healthy and perform your best. Osteoarthritis can also develop years later, as the fracture of the acetabulum can lead to a socket that isn't perfectly smooth, leading to wear and tear of the cartilage in the hip that makes running and other sports and exercise activities difficult. Tua will miss next week’s game against Arkansas, but we expect a full and speedy recovery. I’m not on the swim team,” Tagovailoa said during an Instagram Live show with Mike Locksley, his former offensive coordinator with the Crimson Tide and the current head coach at Maryland.