Koné out of World Cup: understand Canadian player's leg fracture
Canada player Ismael Koné is out of the World Cup after breaking his left leg in the match against Qatar, this Thursday (17). According to a specialist doctor, recovery can last up to six months, but it goes beyond correcting the fracture.
Koné fractured his tibia and fibula in the throw. Bruno Canizares, orthopedist and sports traumatologist, explains that the tibia is the main weight-bearing bone of the body, responsible for transmitting practically all the load between the knee and ankle.
The fibula serves to provide stability to the ankle, being an important insertion point for various muscles and ligaments of the leg. According to Canizares, a fracture of this level is only possible with a very strong impact, as happens in football.
It is the type of injury that occurs after a trauma with very high energy. Especially in football when there is a very strong foothold on the pitch, while the body continues to move. This was the case with Koné, who was still spinning, resulting in an injury with a huge impact on the bone.
Bruno Canizares, orthopedist
The doctor explains that, especially for a professional athlete, the treatment for the injury is surgical, with the placement of an intramedullary nail in the tibia. Furthermore, in most cases, a plate and screw are inserted in the fibula region to stabilize the leg and ankle.
Despite the severity, the specialist reinforces that recovery is usually uneventful. "The fracture has a great prognosis, it heals very well and the bone sticks together easily."
On the other hand, the big challenge for Koné will be the entire process until he returns to the field. "It's not just about healing the bone, but it's about recovering all the muscle strength, the mobility of the knee and ankle, as well as the confidence for the athlete to return to high performance."
But when should Koné return to play?
For Canizares, it depends on the pattern of the fracture: if he had any skin injuries, what was the degree of displacement, if there were other injuries associated with ligaments, joints or cartilage.
"As it appears to have been a fracture right in the middle of the bone, there are usually fewer complications. From the initial images, we're talking about 4 to 6 months for him to compete again", says the doctor, who explains that, in more complex cases, full recovery can take 8 to 12 months.
After surgery, Koné will embark on a long process of fully recovering his leg. "He must have multidisciplinary monitoring in his rehabilitation. It's not just the collar bone, we need to ensure that he returns to performing at the same level." And he adds: "And minimize the risk of new injuries and reduce muscle weaknesses, maintaining muscle balance and joint mobility, allowing him to return safely", says the expert.
Injury in the second game of the World Cup
At the beginning of the second half, Canada's number 8 received a challenge from Madibo, which caused the injury. The move generated immediate despair on the field, with players from both teams holding their heads in their hands as they realized the gravity of the situation.
While Koné received medical attention, athletes from Canada gathered on the pitch, visibly shaken. Striker Jonathan David even cried during the stoppage.
Removed from the field on a stretcher, Koné left the field to the applause of the fans present in Vancouver. The episode also caused confusion between members of the reserve benches of the two teams.
Source: CNN