Ronald Derr, D.O., is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in foot and ankle surgery at the Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee.

Derr recently joined Austin Stanley of A to Z Sports for the latest edition of “Doc Talk” on Thursday afternoon to discuss Tennessee Titans rookie wide receiver Treylon Burks, his turf toe diagnosis, and a potential timeline for his return.

Burks was carted off early on Sunday in Indianapolis, and was later spotted leaving the locker room with a walking boot and crutches. The diagnosis according to Ian Rapoport was turf toe, and Titans fans were happy to know that surgery would not be needed.

#Titans first-round WR Treylon Burks, who left yesterday’s game with a foot injury, has been diagnosed with turf toe, sources tell me and @TomPelissero. No surgery is necessary, just rehab. But Burks will miss some time.— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 3, 2022

#Titans first-round WR Treylon Burks, who left yesterday’s game with a foot injury, has been diagnosed with turf toe, sources tell me and @TomPelissero. No surgery is necessary, just rehab. But Burks will miss some time.

Even with Rapoport’s diagnosis, it’s hard to tell how much time Burks is expected to miss. The severity of turf toe varies on a case-by-case basis.

That’s exactly what Dr. Derr attempted to provide context and clarity on when he joined Stanley and A to Z Sports to discuss the injury.

According to Derr, turf toe is “a sprain of the joint at the base of your big toe,” often caused by hyper extension. It is a relatively common injury in football.

It got its name from football teams playing on artificial turf, beginning with the Astrodome, where these injuries first started.

Derr said that the injuries are more common while playing on turf because of the footwear that is required to play on turf fields.

“The shoes the players are wearing are a lot more flexible,” Derr said. “Their cleats are kind of molded into the sole of their foot instead of being screwed into a plate like they would be on a grass field.”

That flexibility in the shoe leaves the players more prone to hyper extension. There is more opportunity to get taken through a range of motion their joint is not ready for.

There are three different grades of turf toe, each reflective of a different severity and treated in different ways.

Here are the breakdowns of each grade, according to the information provided by Derr:

The grade of Burks’ injury is still unknown, but based off the information available, it’s safe to assume he has avoided grade three and anything major. Rapoport said surgery was not necessary and the Titans have not yet moved him to IR.

Burks not being placed on Injured Reserve could be cause for optimism, as it seems more likely he will have a three week absence than a six week absence. The Titans also have a bye in Week 6, which will allow extended time to get healthy.

You shouldn’t expect to see him on Sunday against the Commanders, but if he’s closer to the Grade 1 diagnosis, the bye week of recovery could give him an opportunity to return against the Colts.

My guess would be October 30 in Houston.

Image via Armond Feffer, IndyStar-USA TODAY NETWORK