Source: Robert Griffin III’s knee surgery for torn knee ligaments is over

Surgery to repair two ligaments in the right knee of Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III was completed just after noon Wednesday, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Dr. James Andrews repaired Griffin’s lateral collateral and anterior cruciate ligaments, in a procedure that began about 7 a.m., the person said. According to that person, Griffin plans to remain in Florida for the foreseeable future to be monitored and begin his rehabilitation. The initial six to eight weeks of recovery are considered critical key to his rehabilitation, the person said.

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Washington Post columnist Jason Reid talks about his conversation with Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan and describes why he thinks Shanahan should have benched Robert Griffin III in the Redskins’ loss to the Seahawks.

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Ligaments work to allow the knee to bend forward while limiting its ability to rotate and flex side-to-side. On the play in which Robert Griffin III was hurt, the lower half of his knee makes both of those movements to excess, suggesting an injury to the anterior cruciate ligament.

Experts said Griffin could face a lengthy rehabilitation that might jeopardize his chances of being ready for the start of the 2013 season in September and could keep him sidelined even longer.

The Redskins haven’t responded to requests for information on the surgery or the condition of Griffin’s knee, which was determined when he was examined by Andrews in Gulf Breeze, Fla., on Tuesday. The people who discussed Griffin’s situation spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk about the matter publicly.

Mark Adickes, the orthopedist who performed Griffin’s original ACL surgery in 2009, declined to comment. He said he is consulting with the Griffin family and physicians at this time.

Early Wednesday, the following message was posted on Griffin’s Twitter account: “Thank you for your prayers and support. I love God, my family, my team, the fans, & I love this game. See you guys next season.”

Griffin was examined Tuesday outside Pensacola, Fla., by Andrews, an orthopedic surgeon. The Washington Post reported Monday that an initial MRI exam of Griffin’s knee showed possible tears of the two ligaments. Coach Mike Shanahan said at a news conference Monday that the test was inconclusive and that Griffin would see Andrews to determine whether those results reflected new injuries or previous ones.

James C. Dreese, a doctor for University of Maryland athletic teams, said an LCL tear requires a longer rehabilitation process than an ACL tear. Dreese, who has no specific knowledge of Griffin’s injury, said an LCL tear could keep Griffin out for eight to 12 months.

The length of the rehabilitation depends on whether the ligament can be repaired surgically or requires a more extensive reconstruction using a graft from another part of the body or a cadaver. A torn ACL typically requires a six- to eight-month rehabilitation.

“When the collateral ligaments are involved,” Dreese said, “the concern in the long term is that controlling the rotational component of the knee can be more difficult.”

Dreese also said LCL tears are usually accompanied by injuries to one of the cruciate ligaments — the ACL or PCL (posterior cruciate ligament). However, he said if there is an ACL tear in addition to the LCL tear, it would not necessarily lengthen Griffin’s rehab.

Several people with knowledge of the case said Monday that the MRI of Griffin’s knee showed he might have suffered at least partial tears of his ACL and LCL.