NFL

Vince Young Has Hole in His Quad: What's Up With That?

Posted Aug 17, 2008 12:07PM By Stephanie Stradley (RSS feed)

Filed Under: Titans, AFC South, Fantasy Football, NFL Injuries

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ESPN's John Clayton recently wrote a puff piece on Titans quarterback Vince Young, how he is maturing as a player, and how his progress is coming with new offensive coordinator, Mike Heimerdinger. Also, Young talks about his treatment and recovery from his quad injury from last year:
"My quad, man, it was bad. Every week you get it better, then you go out and play and hurt it again. The quad would get weak. I was taking those pills for the pain. I was running around trying to make plays when it's not there. The quad is definitely back where it needs to be although I still have a little hole in there."
As I wrote last year, trying to play on a strained quadriceps muscle before it has a chance to heal runs the risk of making the injury a chronic one. Athletes often make this injury worse because they feel like they can play, but when they use maximum effort, like with sprinting, kicking or jumping, they aggravate their injury.

After reading about the injury and how it was handled, it made me curious. I asked a medical friend of mine who has not seen or treated Young, but has given me good information in the past about football player injuries, why Young would have a "hole" left in his quad. His response:
"It's hard to tell exactly what Young is referring to, but here are some possibilities. In a 3rd degree (serious) tear of the quad, there is classically a bump proximal to the tear (a roller shade phenomenon like you see in a bad biceps tear) and a depression distal to the bump (coinciding with the void caused by the retraction/roller shade effect). In many, the healing "levels out" the high and low spots, not making them very noticeable following the healing process. In some, the "void" persists as a depression...........something he may be referring to as a "hole."

Another possibility is that a quad strain, with its accompanying pain, was treated with steroid injections. In a certain percentage of such injections, where the injection is accidentally deposited in the subcutaneous fat tissues (too superficially) and not into the muscle (deeply), the subcutaneous tissues can significantly atrophy (sometimes temporarily, but sometime permanently) leaving a sizable depression ("hole"). If there is a roller shading of the muscle, it is easier to misjudge where the subcutaneous tissue ends and the muscle begins.

That's my best shot. If the quad has a significant permanent separation filled in with only scar tissue, the ability to regain full muscle continuity strength may be compromised and/or could lead to increase risk for re-injury."
Teams don't give fans a full explanation of player injuries, so sometimes you need to do a little sleuthing from public information to find out more. I don't want this to be alarmist, but I do think this is something to watch. Clearly, the Titans and Young took a risk of making Young's quad injury chronic by giving him pain pills and playing before it healed. Such an injury would be particularly bad for a player who depends on his mobility for his effectiveness.

Titans columnist, Jim Wyatt believes that though Young may be struggling some with his passing, he looks faster tucking and running with the ball this year. Even though Young has looked poor in the preseason, remember, you are not supposed to panic. Coach Jeff Fisher says Young is looking good and sharp. So no worries.

Previously at FanHouse:
Young Has Some Improving to Do
Will Young Air It Out More?
Vince Young's Quadriceps Injury Could Be Chronic
A Vince Young Quarterback Controversy?
Vince Young Spends His Spring Break from Texas Learning the Titans' Offense

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