Will Maurkice Pouncey Play?

I'm sure that everyone is aware that the Super Bowl is this Sunday. One of the biggest questions entering the game is whether or not Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey will be able to play in the game. Pouncey suffered a high ankle sprain during the AFC Championship game 9 days ago against the Jets. I have previously blogged about high ankle sprains, so I won't go into a very detailed description of the injury. In Pouncey's case, he was blocking down field when a defender landed on the posterior (back) side of his lower leg, forcing it forward. This mechanism forces the ankle into hyper-dorsiflexion (imagine planting your foot on the ground, and then moving your lower leg towards the top of your foot past comfortable limits). When this occurs, the talus, which is the bone between the tibia (on the medial, or inside of the lower leg) and fibula (on the lateral, or outside of the lower leg) is pushed up between the tibia and fibula, and this causes tearing of the ligaments that hold these two bones together. Rehabilitation for a high ankle sprain typically takes 4-6 weeks, although this will vary based on the severity of the injury. I've been involved in cases in which the player was able to play a week later, and others in which it took 6-8 weeks for the athlete to return. The best treatment of a high ankle sprain is rest, but for football players during a season, this is not likely an option. I imagine Pouncey has not put any weight on his ankle since the injury occurred, and has been receiving almost around the clock treatment to help control the swelling and pain and regain range of motion. As it gets closer to game day, he will probably attempt some football type drills to see if he can tolerate the injury. In my opinion, it will be very difficult, but not impossible, for him to play Sunday. If he does play, he will be in a lot of pain and will have limited mobility. But since it is the Super Bowl, I would not rule it out.