Adrian Peterson Injury Update: How long is he out?
By Adam Jacobs
How long will Adrian Peterson be out of action after suffering an injury on Sunday night?
Minnesota Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee during the third quarter of Sunday night’s game against the Green Bay Packers. Vikings coach Mike Zimmer revealed the injury details Monday in his press conference but declined to discuss the player’s status for Sunday’s game against Carolina.
After being tackled on a five-yard run, Peterson was unable to put any weight on his knee. He had to be carried to the locker room where he received medical treatment. He was then immediately ruled out for the rest of the game. Afterwards, Peterson was seen wearing a large knee brace and was walking on crutches.
The meniscus are two pads that sit between the Femur (thigh bone) and Tibia (calf bone). A meniscus basically helps absorb shock and stabilizes the knee. When a meniscus tear occurs, localized pain and swelling take place. According to The University of Washington Medical, “Most traumatic meniscal tears occur as a result of a twisting injury when the knee rotates but the foot stays fixed in position,” which is how Peterson was injured.
The timetable for meniscus injuries varies from a few days to four months. A meniscus tear doesn’t necessarily mean the player will miss significant time. In 2013, then Titans running back Chris Johnson tore his meniscus in Week 3 and returned to rush for almost 1,100 yards.
There are two main surgery options , one is to trim the affected area of the meniscus and the other is to stitch it back together. According to University of Minnesota’s Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Dr Jeffrey Macalena, a meniscus tear doesn’t mean you have to have surgery. Typical meniscus surgery recovery usually lasts between two and 16 weeks.
Luckily, the Vikings have a Week 6 bye, so if Adrian Peterson needed surgery, he could possibly only miss three games. Knowing Peterson’s rehabilitation abilities, anything is a possibility. Their next three games are against the Panthers, Giants and Texans, all tough defenses. Minnesota’s new starting QB Sam Bradford led the team to its first victory of the season on Sunday without Peterson for most of the second half.
Peterson has already proven to the world that he is a physical freak. He tore both his ACL and MCL in December of 2011 only to return less than nine months later to rush for 2,097 yards in a NFL MVP season. This type of healing was previously unheard of; most athletes with ACL and MCL injuries required up to 24 months to recover. It’s obvious that Peterson isn’t your normal athlete — he is an exceptional specimen of physical health.
Speculation of the seriousness of Peterson’s injury has swept across the league and social media. Arizona wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald tweeted “I just spoke with Mrs. Adrian Peterson she said her husband would be okay. That he is walking on his injured knee.” That sounds like good news to me.
This story will continue to develop but as of now Coach Zimmer hasn’t ruled Peterson out for Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers and it isn’t far fetched. His swelling is reportedly down and Adrian’s ability to rehab is incredible, so don’t count him out just yet. A safe bet is he will sit until after the team’s Week 6 bye.
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Whether he needs surgery or not, I feel confident that he will heal up quickly
. In the meantime, look for Matt Asiata and Jerick McKinnon to be the main ball carriers for the Vikings moving forward. Adrian Peterson is a true freak of nature so I can’t count him out. Hopefully he will be back sooner than later because he truly is something special to watch.