Dr. Sneh, a great sports physical therapist and proud Minnesota native, is an avid Minnesota Vikings fan. This year, the Vikings drafted their quarterback of the future, JJ McCarthy, and the excitement among their fans is palpable. McCarthy has shown promising performance so far in the preseason—a time when rookies often struggle to find their footing.
Unfortunately, following his most recent preseason game, reports emerged that McCarthy had sustained a knee injury that would require surgery to repair a torn meniscus.
I commend the Vikings’ approach to handling McCarthy’s injury, as it offers valuable insights into how we should approach injuries in high school athletes.
The meniscus is a C-shaped piece of cartilage in the knee, acting as a shock absorber between the femur (thigh bone) and the tibia (shin bone). When an athlete suffers a meniscus tear that cannot be rehabilitated, they face three primary options:
- Rest and Physical Therapy: This is the preferred option. The best surgery is the one that doesn’t need to happen, and that wisdom extends far beyond knee injuries. A skilled physical therapist, especially one experienced with athletes, begins by reducing pain, inflammation, and swelling, before moving on to restore range of motion and strength. Next, they guide the athlete through normal functional activities like walking and running, eventually progressing to sport-specific exercises.In addition, one of the most overlooked aspects of physical therapy is identifying the root cause of the injury. Why did it happen in the first place? Is there anything that can be done to reduce the risk of it happening again? A truly effective sports physical therapist has not completed their job until these questions are answered and addressed. It’s not just about returning to the “previous level of function”—sometimes, that may not be good enough!
- Meniscectomy (Trimming the Torn Parts): In some cases, the meniscus tear cannot be repaired, and the damaged parts must be trimmed away in a procedure known as a meniscectomy. The upside is that recovery from this surgery is relatively quick, with athletes often returning to play in as little as 4-6 weeks, provided they receive proper post-operative physical therapy. However, the downside is that trimming the meniscus means there’s less cartilage left to protect the knee, which can increase the risk of early-stage arthritis and future knee discomfort.
- Meniscus Repair (Fixing the Tear): If the meniscus can be repaired, this is generally the preferred option. During a meniscus repair, the torn pieces are stitched together, restoring the knee’s structure as closely as possible to its pre-injury state. This approach reduces the risk of early-stage arthritis and long-term complications but requires a lengthy rehabilitation process. Athletes often do not return to full sports participation until a year after the surgery.
McCarthy and the Vikings’ medical team chose to pursue a meniscus repair for his injury.
While Dr. Sneh was disappointed that he won’t be seeing his team’s promising young quarterback on the field this season, he was heartened by the team’s decision to prioritize McCarthy’s long-term health.
In professional sports, long-term health outcomes for players are often overshadowed by the immediate pressures to get back in the game. Historically, many athletes have opted for a meniscectomy—despite the poor long-term outcomes—because it allowed them to return to play faster.
During my time working with retired professional football players in Texas, I witnessed firsthand the consequences of these rushed decisions. Athletes who were at the peak of their careers just 10-20 years ago are now struggling with basic mobility. Many wake up in constant pain, even though they’re only in their 30s or 40s. I’ll never forget meeting a young man, someone I had watched on TV less than a decade earlier, who had already undergone a knee replacement.
While these are extreme examples, there’s much to learn from the Vikings’ approach to McCarthy’s injury.
The long-term health of young athletes must always be prioritized. It’s easy for a high school game or a college showcase to feel like the Super Bowl, but there will always be another opportunity.
We strive to instill this perspective in our athletes, though it can be challenging when an upcoming game or season feels like the most important thing in their world.
Prioritizing a young athlete’s long-term health may seem like common sense, but the reality can be complex. How can you be sure that an athlete isn’t risking their future by playing now?
That’s where we come in.
Many athletes seek our expertise for an assessment to determine if they’re ready to return to play without jeopardizing their long-term health and goals. If you have concerns about an athlete in your life this upcoming fall season, you know where to find us!
