AJ Brown Injury Update: Should The Philadelphia Eagles Be Concerned? A Football Physical Therapist Review

The Philadelphia Eagles updated the media and the fans today on the status of star wide receiver AJ Brown. The verdict.... "he is working through some things" - Coach Nick Sirianni stated in a press conference earlier in the week.  For Eagles fans this isn't good or bad because in reality we don't know.  Hamstring strains or hamstring pulls are some of the most common injuries in the NFL and in football across all ages.  It's a common injury in football players, especially wide receiver, cornerback, and running back because of the explosiveness of the position.  The rapid stop and start of the position create a eccentric force on the hamstring group that at times can wear down, be over stretched, and then tear. 

Photo Credit: Bill Streicher: USA Today Sports

Let's take a closer look at the hamstring group and the injury itself. The hamstring group is made up of three muscles that are aligned along the back of the leg from the hip to the knee. The semimembranosis and semitendinosis are located on the medial border of the posterior thigh and the bicep femoris (long head and short head) are located on the lateral aspect of the posterior thigh.   They are considered two joint muscles because they start along the back of the hip at the ischial tuberosity and attach just below the knee joint line on the tibia and fibula.  Only the short head of the bicep femoris actually attaches onto the femur itself. Check out this post from Physiopedia for a picture of the anatomy of the hamstring group. 

Now that we got the anatomy out of the way, let's take a look at the injury and what it means for AJ Brown.  A hamstring strain is a over stretching of one or multiple muscles under stress.  For example when a player is sprinting and goes to stop the hamstring muscles have to eccentrically contract (contract while lengthening) to slow that player down enough for them to make a move.  When the muscle is stretched too far or too much stress is placed on the hamstring group, it tears.  There are different grades of hamstring injuries:

 - Grade 1: slight tearing of one hamstring muscle causing immediate pain, difficulty walking and sprinting.  Usually does not present with bruising, but is tender to palpate. Usual recovery time 3 weeks

 - Grade 2: slight tearing of two hamstring muscles or moderate tearing of one muscle.  Player will feel immediate pain, have difficulty walking, and could see visible bruising along the posterior thigh, or posterior knee. Usual recovery time 4 to 8 weeks

 - Grade 3: severe tear of one or multiple hamstring muscles.  Player will feel immediate pain, be unable to walk at first, might need crutches due to the level of pain when putting the foot down.  Will have significant bruising and could need surgical intervention to repair muscle tearing.  Usual recovery time 2 months to 6 months. 

Check out Cleveland Clinic for more information on hamstring strains.

Photo Credit: Prehab Guys

For AJ Brown, all signs point to him being in the Grade 1 category and the Eagles are just taking their time to bring him back before Week 1.  As a football physical therapist specializing in football related injuries, I would be shocked if he isn't ready to play in week 1, unless he has a set back during the return to play ramp up.  The treatment for something like this will consist of eccentric loading of the hamstring muscles from both the knee and the hip challenging upper and lower fibers to contract and lengthen under different loads and velocities. I look forward to seeing him back on the field soon and running great routes without hesitation.

If you are in the local Southern Chester County area or in the state of Pennsylvania and looking for a physical therapist who understands what it takes to be on the field and how to return to the field.  Let us at Ignite Physical Therapy help you get back on the field and stay on the field. 

Your Movement Specialists At Ignite