Gary Lawless thinks you should know…

By: Gary Lawless Posted: 1:00 AM CDT Monday, Aug. 31, 2009

TURF toe. It kind of sounds like fun but it's an injury that is cause for much concern in Bomberland in the days prior to the Labour Day Classic.

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TURF toe. It kind of sounds like fun but it's an injury that is cause for much concern in Bomberland in the days prior to the Labour Day Classic.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 31/08/2009 (6228 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TURF toe. It kind of sounds like fun but it’s an injury that is cause for much concern in Bomberland in the days prior to the Labour Day Classic.

Wide receiver Terrence Edwards and linebacker Barrin Simpson are both suffering from turf toe and the painful injury is beginning to take its toll.

Edwards leads the Bombers with 26 catches for 386 yards and four touchdowns while Simpson is tops on the club in tackles with 55.

Both men have been forced to miss practice for several days each week and then show up on game day, take a shot to numb the toe and play through the agony.

"It’s a painful injury. People say, ‘oh, his toe’s hurt,’ but if you’re an athlete who relies on explosiveness and you can’t push off on that toe it’s difficult," said Kelly. "The problem is, there isn’t much blood flow through the toe so you can’t recuperate the way you’d like to. We have players that get it frozen two and three times in a game and getting a needle put in your foot is not a very comfortable deal. They battle through it. I have great respect for them for doing so."

Edwards and Simpson were at practice on Sunday but neither were in pads and they spent most of the session looking on from the sidelines. Both men said afterward that their injured toes had cooled off but they expected the heat to return.

"It gets aggravated again. The term I’ve heard trainers use is, it gets ‘angry’ again," said Kelly. "Sure, it’s slowed them both down a little bit. It’s a tough thing to deal with. As human beings we rely on our big toes more than we realize. The fact they’re out there playing the way they are is impressive to me."

Kelly says both players have to practice each week to be effective on game day.

"We try to limit them. I don’t know if we want them on the Milt Stegall schedule. At some point during the week they have to practise. They can be modified. But they have to practise," said Kelly.