Arian Foster, Vincent Jackson lead NFL injury report for Week 7

Yesterday’s NFL action featured a relatively short list of key injuries, but a particularly tough one for fans of the struggling Houston Texans, as Arian Foster suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon rupture. SB Nation Medical Expert Dr. Ali Mohamadi has the latest on Foster and the rest of the Week 7 injury report.

Foster’s left Achilles tear, which took place late in the fourth quarter of Houston’s blowout loss to the Dolphins, was a classic non-contact injury. It occurred almost instantly after taking off from the line of scrimmage. Foster, who was split out left as a receiver, immediately fell to the ground clutching his left lower leg, making the diagnosis fairly clear from the start.

Sometimes called the heel cord, the Achilles is largest tendon in the human body. When the calf muscles contract, the tendon is tightened, pulling the heel. This allows the foot to point and an individual to stand on tiptoe. It is vital to such activities as walking, running and jumping.

A ruptured Achilles refers to a complete tear through the tendon. Surgical repair of a ruptured Achilles tendon requires physically suturing the ends of the tendon back together. Typically, as the rupture site heals, a small lump remains from the scarring, but this does not impact healing or resumption of physical activity. Full weight bearing commonly begins at about six weeks following surgery with a heel support, with the athlete often back for light work after eight weeks. A return to full form typically requires six to nine months of rehabilitation after the surgery, which cannot take place until swelling resolves.

Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford finished his team’s loss to the Vikings with a glove on his left (non-throwing) hand after a third-quarter sack that resulted in some pain and tenderness. Stafford had an X-ray following the game -- results haven’t been reported yet -- but it appears unlikely at this point that it will affect him significantly or result in any lost time going forward.

Adding injury to the insult of blowing a 24-0 second quarter lead in Washington Sunday, Tampa Bay wide receiver Vincent Jackson left the game in the second half with a knee injury and did not return. The team has yet to provide any updates on the exact diagnosis or Jackson’s prognosis, although reports following the game indicate that Jackson himself was not concerned that there would be any long-term implications.

Not quite as lucky is Colts rookie receiver Phillip Dorsett, who fractured his left ankle in the first half of Sunday’s loss to New Orleans. He is expected to miss four to six weeks of action. Dorsett suffered the injury after making a catch, falling to the ground and clutching the ankle in clear pain. There is no definitive word out of Colts camp whether surgery is required, although the initial timetable suggests it is unlikely.