Lamont Jordan is having a pretty good year with the Oakland Raiders. The former New York Jets player has made himself a force on a team that isn't going anywhere rushing for 1,025 yards in the 2005 season. Yesterday it was announced that Lamont Jordan is suffering from turf toe and might not be able to play this weekend.

Turf toe is the common name for metatarsal phalangeal joint sprain. Isn't nice they sum it up by saying turf toe? The metatarsal phalangeal joint is located in your foot from the toe to the midsection. This can become sprained on a hard surface such as astro turf or field turf.

What causes turf toe? It commonly happens when the knee and foot are against the ground and trauma occurs to the back of the calf. In reality you are hyper extending your big toe. This sprains the metatarsal phalangeal joint and you have turf toe. This injury is almost always seen in football players exclusively.

What are the symptoms of turf toe? The player will be unable to quickly accelerate or make sharp angle cuts. In some cases the ability to push off when starting to run will be impeded greatly. The player will have bruising near the big toe and it will be painful to the touch. This may also be accompanied by swelling and the inability to put weight on the foot.

What are the treatments for turf toe? Because the joint is located in such an awkward position, you really cannot fully brace the turf toe injury. You can wrap it or tape the area and limit mobility. Anti-inflammatory drugs will limit the swelling and allow healing to occur. If the player is lucky the turf toe will heal in about a month, but for some players it becomes a chronic condition that occurs over and over again. Surgery is very rarely advised for the injury itself, but it can be an option if bone spurs form.