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The Long road back
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_2c6f8e4c-146f-5db1-a1af-f767940eb522.html
With most of his lower left leg in a cast following foot surgery, Rams defensive end Chris Long is getting around these days on one of those foot scooters. If he could chase a quarterback on it, he would.
Alas, that must wait until at least Nov. 9, against Arizona, the earliest he’s allowed to play since being placed on the injured reserve/designated for return list.
“The first couple days (post surgery), you’re kinda getting used to it, but you kind of turn everything into a little challenge — see what you can get done with the thing,” Long said. “It hasn’t held me back too much.”
He already has been admonished by head athletic trainer Reggie Scott for going too fast on the scooter.
What’s the recommended speed?
“Five,” Long said. “I might put a motor on it.”
Long still has about another week and a half in the cast before switching to a walking boot, then he can say goodbye to the scooter and his rehab work starts to accelerate.
Highly-respected foot specialist Dr. Robert Anderson performed the surgery in Charlotte, N.C., for what was a relatively unusual injury.
“There’s two tendons that kind of run down your leg, and keep everything stable,” Long explained. “The ligaments, muscles, that hold (the tendons) down were torn so that the tendons flew out and they’re in the wrong place. So there was only one way to put it back.”
Through surgery.
Long was stepped on from behind five minutes into the Rams’ season opener, against Minnesota, while trying to shed a blocker.
As he sat on the turf of the Edward Jones Dome for a few moments after the injury, the look on his face suggested something was wrong beyond a run-of-the-mill ankle or foot injury.
“It was a feeling I hadn’t felt before,” Long said. “I’d had high ankle sprains before. Ankle sprains, or whatever. So I just wasn’t sure what it was. It was just frustrating more than anything because you know it’s probably something maybe a little serious.
“We all work so hard to get ready for that opening day. For it to happen on opening day, it was just kinda frustrating.”
Long actually tried to tape the foot and ankle and return to the game.
But that was a no-go.
“When it’s a stability issue, not a pain-tolerance issue, you don’t have a choice,” he said. “We took a shot at it, but it turned out is just wasn’t a thing you can really play with.”
The Tampa Bay game Sept. 14 marked the first time in his seven-year NFL career Long had missed a game. The Minnesota contest a week earlier marked his 97th consecutive game, at the time the second-longest ironman streak in the NFL
“So when it was evident to me that I was gonna miss some time, it really hurt,’’ he said. “You want to tear up.
“You don’t know what to expect. You’re afraid. But just leaning on these guys, and just being in here every day helped me a lot. The more I’m around the guys, I feel like I can help in some way just while I’m sitting down for a little bit here.”
Long was sitting at his stall in the locker room after practice when he spoke to a few reporters. The streak meant a lot to Long; it was something he took great pride in as the years started to pile up in his career.
“I always wanted to play my whole career without missing any time,” he said. “It sounds ridiculous, I guess. But guys like Justin Smith that had those pretty remarkable streaks, that’s always admirable. That was like a goal to me. But football, it’s tough. Sometimes you can’t control things, you can’t play through certain things, and that’s just reality.”
Former University of Missouri defensive lineman Justin Smith, now a San Francisco 49er, had a streak of 185 consecutive starts end because of an elbow injury in December of 2012.
Even while on his scooter, Long was out on the practice field last week taking mental reps in practice and attending meetings at Rams Park.
“I don’t take that for granted,” he said. “I really appreciate being able to do that right now. You’ve gotta keep things normal.”
At least as normal as possible. It has been torture for Long these past two Sundays, not being on the field with his teammates on game day. He’s usually the guy who gives the pep talk when the team huddles up en masse at the end of pregame workouts and then heads into the locker room for the last time before kickoff.
“I appreciate the opportunity to play the games anyway. It’s not like a needed a reminder,” he said.
But he’ll get a reminder of just how much he loves the game every week until at least early November.
“It’s tough to watch because I love my teammates,” Long said. “They’re like my brothers. When they’re out there, you just wanna be out there to help ‘em any way you can. But the great thing is ... this D-line’s so deep and everybody’s got a group mentality. Everybody’s able to do different things to help chip in. So I don’t feel like they’re gonna miss a beat.”
Of more immediate concern to Long is keeping his sanity during his two-month hiatus from playing the game.
“First couple days I was legitimately like a crazy person,” Long said. “But I’m just trying to focus my energy on being in the game mentally. Trying to help out when I can with some of the younger guys.
“It makes you appreciate the opportunity to come to work every day, and be around these guys because it is a great family atmosphere. And I’ve leaned on it quite a bit.”
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_2c6f8e4c-146f-5db1-a1af-f767940eb522.html
With most of his lower left leg in a cast following foot surgery, Rams defensive end Chris Long is getting around these days on one of those foot scooters. If he could chase a quarterback on it, he would.
Alas, that must wait until at least Nov. 9, against Arizona, the earliest he’s allowed to play since being placed on the injured reserve/designated for return list.
“The first couple days (post surgery), you’re kinda getting used to it, but you kind of turn everything into a little challenge — see what you can get done with the thing,” Long said. “It hasn’t held me back too much.”
He already has been admonished by head athletic trainer Reggie Scott for going too fast on the scooter.
What’s the recommended speed?
“Five,” Long said. “I might put a motor on it.”
Long still has about another week and a half in the cast before switching to a walking boot, then he can say goodbye to the scooter and his rehab work starts to accelerate.
Highly-respected foot specialist Dr. Robert Anderson performed the surgery in Charlotte, N.C., for what was a relatively unusual injury.
“There’s two tendons that kind of run down your leg, and keep everything stable,” Long explained. “The ligaments, muscles, that hold (the tendons) down were torn so that the tendons flew out and they’re in the wrong place. So there was only one way to put it back.”
Through surgery.
Long was stepped on from behind five minutes into the Rams’ season opener, against Minnesota, while trying to shed a blocker.
As he sat on the turf of the Edward Jones Dome for a few moments after the injury, the look on his face suggested something was wrong beyond a run-of-the-mill ankle or foot injury.
“It was a feeling I hadn’t felt before,” Long said. “I’d had high ankle sprains before. Ankle sprains, or whatever. So I just wasn’t sure what it was. It was just frustrating more than anything because you know it’s probably something maybe a little serious.
“We all work so hard to get ready for that opening day. For it to happen on opening day, it was just kinda frustrating.”
Long actually tried to tape the foot and ankle and return to the game.
But that was a no-go.
“When it’s a stability issue, not a pain-tolerance issue, you don’t have a choice,” he said. “We took a shot at it, but it turned out is just wasn’t a thing you can really play with.”
The Tampa Bay game Sept. 14 marked the first time in his seven-year NFL career Long had missed a game. The Minnesota contest a week earlier marked his 97th consecutive game, at the time the second-longest ironman streak in the NFL
“So when it was evident to me that I was gonna miss some time, it really hurt,’’ he said. “You want to tear up.
“You don’t know what to expect. You’re afraid. But just leaning on these guys, and just being in here every day helped me a lot. The more I’m around the guys, I feel like I can help in some way just while I’m sitting down for a little bit here.”
Long was sitting at his stall in the locker room after practice when he spoke to a few reporters. The streak meant a lot to Long; it was something he took great pride in as the years started to pile up in his career.
“I always wanted to play my whole career without missing any time,” he said. “It sounds ridiculous, I guess. But guys like Justin Smith that had those pretty remarkable streaks, that’s always admirable. That was like a goal to me. But football, it’s tough. Sometimes you can’t control things, you can’t play through certain things, and that’s just reality.”
Former University of Missouri defensive lineman Justin Smith, now a San Francisco 49er, had a streak of 185 consecutive starts end because of an elbow injury in December of 2012.
Even while on his scooter, Long was out on the practice field last week taking mental reps in practice and attending meetings at Rams Park.
“I don’t take that for granted,” he said. “I really appreciate being able to do that right now. You’ve gotta keep things normal.”
At least as normal as possible. It has been torture for Long these past two Sundays, not being on the field with his teammates on game day. He’s usually the guy who gives the pep talk when the team huddles up en masse at the end of pregame workouts and then heads into the locker room for the last time before kickoff.
“I appreciate the opportunity to play the games anyway. It’s not like a needed a reminder,” he said.
But he’ll get a reminder of just how much he loves the game every week until at least early November.
“It’s tough to watch because I love my teammates,” Long said. “They’re like my brothers. When they’re out there, you just wanna be out there to help ‘em any way you can. But the great thing is ... this D-line’s so deep and everybody’s got a group mentality. Everybody’s able to do different things to help chip in. So I don’t feel like they’re gonna miss a beat.”
Of more immediate concern to Long is keeping his sanity during his two-month hiatus from playing the game.
“First couple days I was legitimately like a crazy person,” Long said. “But I’m just trying to focus my energy on being in the game mentally. Trying to help out when I can with some of the younger guys.
“It makes you appreciate the opportunity to come to work every day, and be around these guys because it is a great family atmosphere. And I’ve leaned on it quite a bit.”
