Written By DAVE SIEBERT, MD of Bleacher Report

Wide receiver Greg Jennings popped up on the official Minnesota Vikings injury report late last week with an Achilles injury, but he carried a "probable" designation.

Unfortunately, it seems "probable" really means just that—probable.

According to NFL Network's Andrew Siciliano, Jennings became a surprise inactive due to the injury before kickoff on Sunday. Specifically, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported the move was due to an Achilles strain:

"Josh Freeman, Greg Jennings inactive for the Vikings"

The Achilles tendon plays a crucial role in plantarflexion—or pointing the toes. It does so by connecting the calf muscles—the gastrocnemius and soleus—to the back of the heel.

When the gastrocnemius and soleus contract, they pull upward on the Achilles tendon, which then pulls upward on the heel. As a result, the toes move downward.

Practically speaking, plantarflexion allows an athlete to push off the ground with his toes while walking or running.

In Jennings' case, strong calf muscles provide for a quick start off the line of scrimmage by pushing his toes into the ground. They also let him push off the turf to leap into the air.

Regrettably, just as any tendon or ligament in the body, the Achilles can stretch or tear. It can also become inflamed due to overuse.

In the worst-case scenario, an already weak or inflamed tendon pulls too suddenly on the back of the heel—either due to a normal football move or when another hit bends already-pointed toes back upward—and it ruptures.

Ruptured Achilles tendons almost always require surgical reattachment and several months of rehab.

That said, even a mild injury can necessitate rest, as injured tissues are weaker tissues. An inflamed Achilles is less able to resist injury-causing moves and stresses when compared to a healthy tendon.

In other words, playing on a significantly injured Achilles carries a relatively large degree of risk.

Should Jennings return to the field too quickly, his injury could worsen—up to and including the aforementioned complete tear—and it may have a higher chance of doing so.

Thanks for reading and Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook



Leave a Reply.