Can you actually SEE an Achilles tear??

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Maybe how we figured it all out before they figured it all out. The team orthopedist, the show orthopedist, Orthopedist of the Stars, Dr. Salen Perec, joins us, orthopedic surgeon. All right, sir, can you really see an Achilles tear? Because I believe that everybody, did you see his calf vibrated? And I'm like, what?

Okay, yeah, sure. Can you see it? Oftentimes, if you see that vibration, that is pretty much an Achilles tear unless proven otherwise. So can I tell you 100% that that's what it is?

I can't, but it is pretty sure that that's what this is going to end up being. Yeah, well, I mean, again, I think that Robert Sala, Jets head coach, said it as much after the game yesterday, and he didn't even waste any time because, you know, our fear is that it's an Achilles. I knew when they came back with x-rays were negative, I'm like, there's nothing that happened that could have given us a need for an x-ray.

There was no twist. It didn't seem to be any real trauma. It seemed that maybe his foot got caught in the turf.

And that became a topic yesterday, Dr. Perec. What is the impact of artificial surfaces on these types of injuries? So if you go back and look at the original artificial surfaces that were created, there was some correlation to increased risk of knee injuries with those turfs. The turf technology has advanced over time, and so that concern has decreased, although you keep hearing players say it every single season that the turf is making them either feel like they're not getting enough grip on the ground or increasing their injury risk.

There may be some truth to it because it's a complicated discussion. It's not just the turf itself, but it's also the shoes you have, it's also the gripping you have, and it's this relationship between all of these different variables that can increase your potential risk of an injury. So isn't it like when we've seen these non-contact injuries, and most of the time we're talking about an ACL tear, right? It seems like the leg sort of sticks, right? Whereas on a natural surface, grass, or what they use in the UK for the English Premier League, and I know they probably use this surface in the other major leagues, which is a hybrid of an artificial surface, but growing up through natural grass to create a more durable surface, but one that gives like grass does. But it seems like there's more give, so the foot can slide just enough maybe to prevent this sort of trauma. Is there any truth to what I just very inartfully said? Well, I think that's a constant battle, right? The athletes want the grip, they want the ability to stick to the ground and make the cuts and pivots that they want, but that then can increase your risk of the foot not giving when the rest of your body goes one way, and then you end up with a knee injury, or you end up with an ankle injury.

So again, it's this constant battle, but yes, as a whole field, the artificial field industry is trying to make the movement towards giving more to be more natural. Dr. Salem Perec is joining us here on the Adam Gold Show. For the sake of argument, let's just assume that it is going to be announced as an Achilles tear. Are all Achilles tears the same? Is there an upper?

Is there a lower? Is there a more severe Achilles tear? Well, most Achilles tears happen about three finger breaths from where it inserts in your heel bone. That's where about 50 to 60% of these occur, so that's what I am guessing that he is going to have. Very rarely does it occur at the higher end or the lower end of the Achilles.

If it was at the lower end, they would have probably seen that on the x-ray. So this is likely going to be just your random Achilles tear. Everybody talks about a partial, full, does the end look really torn up?

It doesn't really matter. At the end of the day, it's torn, it's torn, and it needs to be repaired one end to the other kind of in that manner. He had a calf strain in pre-season. How much of that is a harbinger of this?

You know, that is a great question. We did a study looking at the ability to return to play after an Achilles tender rupture in the NFL, and we saw what was called this prodromal period before they ruptured. What that means is before they tore, they had this period by which their performance was declining, and likely they were complaining of some aches and pains. So if that is a true phenomenon, is it possible that that is calf strain led to an eventual Achilles tendon rupture?

Yes, it is possible. People talk about this prodromal period before you rupture your tendon. It doesn't happen in everyone, but it can happen. I think it happened with Kevin Durant as well. Kevin Durant had a calf injury right before he ruptured his Achilles. Is this something that would have happened regardless? There was some trauma on the play, like his ankle got kind of caught underneath him, and you can see that the ankle, like you would do calf stretches. He did that, and that's when we see the injury.

Is this something that would have likely happened anyway? Hey Carolina Panthers fans, Chris Lee and Dennis Cox here. We're excited to offer you all the inside information on your team with the newest member of the Capital Broadcasting Podcast Network, Panthers Playbook. Twice a week, we'll keep you updated on your Carolina Panthers. We're talking about locker room insight, exclusive interviews, and of course, in-depth looks at all of the Panthers wins. Touchdown Carolina!

Panthers Playbook, download and subscribe today at WRALSportsFan.com or wherever you discover your favorite podcasts. I think so because this is a mechanism where he was being tackled and just like you said, his foot was being forced upwards while his Achilles is contracting, and that's the mechanism by which you tear this. So whether he had a calf strain before, whether he was on artificial turf or grass, I think this is the mechanism for this injury to occur, regardless of all those other factors.

Alright, I was hoping we could blame the left tackle on this, but maybe not. Alright, final question for Dr. Salen Perec, our official orthopedic surgeon of the Adam Gold Show. The age that Rogers currently is at, we're approaching 40 years old. I know every human body is different. What are the odds, if you could put odds on it, that he returns, not this year obviously, but returns next year, in time for next year, and at a similar athletic level?

So, multifactorial, right? Age is a factor. We know when you're older, it takes longer to heal, and he may not make it back. If you look at all Achilles ruptures, about 33% of them in the NFL, these guys never make it back to playing in the NFL. So, a third of a chance that he doesn't make it back, although quarterbacks are not affected as much as wide receivers or running backs, for obvious reasons. So, personally, I think Aaron Rodgers is the competitor, he's been plagued by injury for the last few seasons, but I cannot imagine that he ends his career on that play.

I think he comes back, he tries to leave on his own terms, whether he finishes the entire season next season or not is a different story, but I think you see him back. Will Hiyawaska help him? I don't know.

I don't know, man. It can't hurt, right? It certainly cannot hurt. Dr. Salen Perec, my friend, I appreciate your time, as always, we'll talk again. Thanks, appreciate it.

I sent Dr. Perec a direct message last night. So, the injury, again, happened, it was the Jets' fourth play. So, he goes down, blah, blah, blah, I'm watching him.

First of all, when he stands up, he comes up, he pops right up after the sack, but then he sits down. And I'm like, well, that's unusual. Certainly didn't look like anything concussion related. And the first thing that went through my mind was, did he get, did he kind of have his knee wrenched under him? And then maybe it just, you know, something just felt weird.

Obviously it did. And then he's down, they go to break, blah, blah, blah. They bring the cart, he goes into the tent, and then all of a sudden the gator, the cart, is next to the tent. I'm like, oh, this is over. And I immediately, I sent Dr. Perec a direct message. Achilles? Question mark. Now, I did not notice the vibration of the calf muscle.

I'm sorry, at 57, my vision isn't quite that acute. But it was pretty serious, I thought, right from the beginning. And then they said that, well, x-rays are negative. So?

There wasn't anything that looked broken there. Anyway, that's where we are. Get your podcasts.