ATLANTA — Georgia Bulldogs' Brock Bowers was scheduled for surgery Monday after suffering a high ankle sprain over the weekend, the team announced. An orthopedic doctor said the recovery time will likely keep him off the field for a few weeks.
UGA's star tight end was injured during the Bulldogs' matchup against Vanderbilt on Saturday and left during the second quarter. Bowers' surgery was "to stabilize the ankle and a full recovery is anticipated," UGA said on Monday.
Dr. Janice Bonsu with Emory University, who is not affiliated with Bowers' surgery, said that his injury will require a few weeks of recovery.
"The ankle is a quite complex joint that really spans from the knee to the midfoot," Bonsu explained. "Because of the type of stability that is provided at this level of the joint, patients require surgery to re-stabilize the joint."
Lower ankle sprains happen where the ankle joint meets the foot, she said. This often results in swelling and bruising and a patient is treated in a cast or walking boot for two to three weeks and relatively easy to come back from.
Bowers' injury is where the tibia and fibula meet up to make the top of the ankle joint. The injury actually impacts a "powerful cobweb of ligament" that stabilizes the ankle joint up to the knee. It could also involve broken bones, Bonsu said, which impacts the recovery time.
"The recovery for these injuries are longer, with patients often being immobilized anywhere from 6 to 12 weeks and then having to go through physical therapy with important ankle dynamic exercises," she said.
The team has not announced a timetable for when Bowers is expected to return. The Dawgs still won against Vanderbilt, but the loss of Bowers does change the dynamic as No. 1 UGA goes for a three-peat of national championships.
Bowers is leading all UGA pass catchers and tight ends in the nation with 37 catches for 575 yards.
