On November 18th, 2018, the Washington Redskins faced the Houston Texans in week 11 of the NFL season. Alex Smith started the game at quarterback for the Redskins, but left the field on a stretcher in the third quarter with an apparent right leg injury. The play happened as Smith was sacked by two players who fell on his right leg in an awkward position.

Smith broke both his tibia and fibula.  The tibia came through the skin. The old term for this is  “compound fracture”, now referred to as an open fracture. Reports indicate that Smith underwent emergent surgery later that night. Reports indicate that it’s uncertain when Smith will be able to return to football activities or if he’ll be able to return at all, but he’s definitely out for the remainder of this season. The injury occurred 33 years to the day of Joe Theismann’s unforgettable injury on a similar play. 

Open tibia fractures were once crippling and even life threatening injuries.  If the fracture got infected, the infection could be deadly. Nowadays, with surgery and antibiotics, the bone usually heals, without infection, and comfort and function of the leg are slightly impaired.