Evan Neal's injury

[DaveBrown74]

Not that any of this impacted the outcome of the season, but I'm just curious: how does a medical/training staff get what I would have thought was a fairly routine diagnosis this wrong? Any ideas?


https://twitter.com/PLeonardNYDN/status/1740806349368267217

[Ed Vette]

A FRANK BARONE, HOLY CRAP.

[MightyGiants]

Ankle sprain vs ankle fracture, how does that sort of misdiagnosis happen?

[madbadger]

It's not uncommon. Depending where the fracture is and the type of fracture you could easily miss it on an X-ray and would need an mri. I fractured right medial malleolus and it didn't show up on the X-ray at the ER. When it was still hurting weeks later I went to a foot specialist and it didn't show up on his X-ray but it did on the MRI he ordered.

[DaveBrown74]

It's not uncommon. Depending where the fracture is and the type of fracture you could easily miss it on an X-ray and would need an mri. I fractured right medial malleolus and it didn't show up on the X-ray at the ER. When it was still hurting weeks later I went to a foot specialist and it didn't show up on his X-ray but it did on the MRI he ordered.

Thanks for sharing. That's good color.

I'll admit, I always assume the worst from a competency perspective about anything having to do with our medical and training staff. The results speak for themselves.

[Ed Vette]

When they took the E-Ray it might have been a small hairline that was not detectable due to swelling or the stress he was putting on it increased it. They may not have taken an MRI.
https://www.healthline.com/health/hairline-fracture#diagnosis

[madbadger]

Thanks for sharing. That's good color.

I'll admit, I always assume the worst from a competency perspective about anything having to do with our medical and training staff. The results speak for themselves.

I don't know if the Giants even have a radiologist on staff. If not it's hard to blame the team or the team doctors.

[kartanoman]

It's not uncommon. Depending where the fracture is and the type of fracture you could easily miss it on an X-ray and would need an mri. I fractured right medial malleolus and it didn't show up on the X-ray at the ER. When it was still hurting weeks later I went to a foot specialist and it didn't show up on his X-ray but it did on the MRI he ordered.

This is the truth. If you are still feeling pain on the bone, even after being told it's a sprain, get the MRI which will definitively confirm if there's a fracture.

I've been having this type of pain on my tibia about three inches below the hardware from my total knee replacement for the last three months. I'm going to have an MRI soon to determine the cause.

Many years ago, I sustained a third degree sprain which I was told it would have been better if I would have broken it altogether. After my wife successfully did hers in, just days before my knee replacement this past May, I'm not so sure!

Hopefully Neal can make a full recovery and rehab to make it stronger than it was before.

Peace!

[Bob In PA]

It's not uncommon. Depending where the fracture is and the type of fracture you could easily miss it on an X-ray and would need an mri. I fractured right medial malleolus and it didn't show up on the X-ray at the ER. When it was still hurting weeks later I went to a foot specialist and it didn't show up on his X-ray but it did on the MRI he ordered.

madb: Solid points.  Lots of small bones very close together, all of which, if involved, have the same symptoms (generally).

If x-rays are taken after symptoms fail to subside over a typical waiting period, the conclusion that something might be chipped or slightly cracked, is inevitable.

That is probably what occurred in this case.  Also, some slight fractures heal themselves, depending upon whether you're lucky and/or follow doctor's instructions about not stressing the area needlessly (i.e., playing ball).

Bob

[PSUBeirut]

I guess my question is- how does an organization with as much $$$ and resources as the New York Giants not do everything in their power to correctly diagnose issues like this from the start?  Especially when you consider the extreme INVESTMENT they make in their players- not just financially but in draft capital, time, coaching, etc. 

I just don't get it.  Can someone please explain to me how you can be in the business of players playing a violent sport and NOT doing everything in the business' power to diagnose and keep those players as healthy as possible???  If there is anywhere an NFL team should overinvest $$$ and resources it should be in the health and welfare of their players.

[bighitterdalama]

Ankle sprain vs ankle fracture, how does that sort of misdiagnosis happen?

How, you ask, Richie? An atrocious training/medical staff that never seems to get better. Just to give an example, the Giants have no less than three place kickers on the IR. Three! That has got to be an NFL record. Sadly, that stat is not an outlier. Rarely, if ever, does the number of Giants listed on the injury report not far exceeds that of the opponent. Yet nothing ever changes. 

[Painter]

Thanks for sharing. That's good color.



I'll admit, I always assume the worst from a competency perspective about anything having to do with our medical and training staff. The results speak for themselves.

That indeed is a helpful input and likely explanation based on an actual experience.

However, this seemingly relentless suspicion, doubt, and criticism of the Giants training and medical staff has existed for quite some time, indeed long enough for there to have been in fact some significant turnover in personnel. We aren't just talking about a couple of years.

I doubt that more than a few of us actually know who currently are, or has in the past been, members of the Giants training, conditioning, diagnostic, medical and surgical staffs or their education, experience and competence except perhaps for one individual who may be a little too well liked and respected throughout the organization including the players, so as to perhaps cut across a personal conceit, or prompt a cavil reflex.

Cheers!

[DaveBrown74]

That indeed is a helpful input and likely explanation based on an actual experience.

However, this seemingly relentless suspicion, doubt, and criticism of the Giants training and medical staff has existed for quite some time, indeed long enough for there to have been in fact some significant turnover in personnel. We aren't just talking about a couple of years.

I doubt that more than a few of us actually know who currently are, or has in the past been, members of the Giants training, conditioning, diagnostic, medical and surgical staffs or their education, experience and competence except perhaps for one individual who may be a little too well liked and respected throughout the organization including the players, so as to perhaps cut across a personal conceit, or prompt a cavil reflex.

Cheers!

Is it really not fair to at least question the job those in charge of training and medical are doing when the actual end results on this front are consistently among the worst, if not the absolute worst, in the league over a statistically meaningful amount of seasons? Why do we need to know all their names and precise credentials in order to simply raise a question? Do we need to know the name and all background details of every single scout the team has across the country in order to question the job the team has done finding talent in drafts, if the roster continues to be poor over many years and draft picks continue to bust or severely underwhelm?

If end results are consistently bad in any area of any sensibly run organization, it is pretty normal practice to look closely at, and sometimes make changes within, the group of individuals responsible for that area, particularly at the leadership level. I would fully expect to be scrutinized closely and potentially come under fire if my end results at work were bad, especially if these bad results spanned many years, and probably even if it were just one or two years. I think any professional person would expect that. I don't see why this would or should be any different.

[gregf]

Does this soften the criticism for his poor play this year? I would think FA or the draft has to see real competition at RT.  Im hoping he transitions to guard.   

[madbadger]

Does this soften the criticism for his poor play this year? I would think FA or the draft has to see real competition at RT.  Im hoping he transitions to guard.   

No. I think he only played parts of two games after injuring it. That wouldn't account for his poor play before the injury.