I've been given a lot of estimates, anywhere from two to six weeks. I feel great right now. An examination this week by an orthopedist confirmed the Saints' diagnosis that surgery was not indicated, Saints trainer Dean Kleinschmidt said. All sprains are is a tear in the ligament. A high sprain is just tearing at the base of the ligament.
High sprains are harder to treat and can sometimes take six weeks to heal.
But they can heal sooner. Everybody heals at different rates. Professional athletes generally recover more quickly because they can devote full time to rehabilitation, Maharam said. And, he said, doctors tend to be ultraconservative when predicting recuperation times. Such an injury can cause pain when an athlete tries to run, twist or cut, Maharam said.