Being told that you’ve broken your femur, the longest and strongest bone in the body, can be akin to receiving a death sentence when you’re a professional athlete, as the recovery time may be permanent.

Unfortunately for Vikings LB E.J. Henderson, that’s exactly the news he heard last Sunday night, after he was carted off the field in Arizona and underwent surgery to repair the injury.

Sean Jensen of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press spoke with David Thorson, a physician who works with the St. Paul Saints, Twin Cities Marathon and the U.S. ski team, and came away with this comment that may indicate a faster than expected healing time for Henderson.

“Assuming everything is as it should be, my guess is he’ll be participating in training camp. The bone heals fast, and he’s a healthy guy. There’s a physical recovery and a psychological recovery. Sometimes, the psychological takes longer. Every athlete I’ve had was competing at a high level after (successful surgery) and competing at a high level a year later. They’re not 100 percent back, but they’re back doing what they need to do.”

– Twin Cities physician Dr. David Thorson

While it’s certainly welcome news for Henderson and the Vikings, there are still many long months of rehabilitation to get through and even though his body may be ready to play next summer at the start of training camp, his mental state could still be a work in progress. And in a demanding position like middle linebacker that Henderson plays, the mind is just as important as the physical body, as that player is responsible for a multitude of things on any given play.

That could inevitably lead to Minnesota making a tough decision next year in whether they want to keep Henderson around with his $4.1 million contract number if he’s not the same player, and while it’s easy to say yes right now, things can change in a hurry if his roster spot is needed for someone else.

Either way, Henderson can only hope for a speedy recovery at this point and work hard to get there once he’s able to begin the tough rehabilitation period that’s sure to come. But given the determination and pride he’s shown in the past, there is little doubt that Henderson will do anything he can to get back in time to play next fall, at the same level or better than he was before.

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