Joe Paterno - Tibial Plateau Fracture

The Coach:

Joseph Vincent Paterno was born 12/21/1926 in Brooklyn, New York. Nicknamed JoePa, Paterno has been head coach of the Penn State football team since 1966. Paterno has twice coached the Nittany Lions to the National Championship.

The Injury:

Paterno was injured on 11/5/2006 in a game between the Nittany Lions and the Wisconsin Badgers. The helmet of a Wisconsin player struck Paterno's knee when the player fell while making a tackle near the sideline. Paterno sustained an injury to the top of the shin bone called a tibial plateau fracture. In addition, Paterno injured two ligaments in his knee, the medial collateral ligament and the posterior cruciate ligament.

The Surgery:

Paterno underwent surgery for treatment of the tibial plateau fracture. Treatment of a tibial plateau fracture depends on the extent of the injury, including the amount of displacement of the fracture. In less severe injuries, treatment may be more limited, whereas more significant injuries often require surgery.