Source: Dwight Freeney starts ankle treatments

Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney is fighting an uphill battle to play in Super Bowl XLIV that could keep him from being a big defensive force in the game.

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Freeney flew to South Florida on Friday to begin a battery of treatments to fix an ankle injury suffered during the fourth quarter of the AFC Championship Game, according to a source. Freeney set up the use of a hyperbaric chamber to help, a usual technique he uses to try to heal from injuries quickly.

He is also using a device called ARP that is similar to a stem device to move the blood supply to the damaged ankle. The ARP operates differently than normal stem devices, but ARP has helped him in past years recover quickly from groin and hamstring pulls.

The problem with this ankle injury is that it is one of the worst degrees he could have suffered. The swelling and pain have bothered him all week. He even had to wear a boot.

If Freeney is able to recover enough to play, he may not be able to play the whole game. He is expected to receive treatment until game time and hopes to be in uniform.

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