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Luis Suarez injury: How did striker recover so quickly? | Luis Suarez injury: How did striker recover so quickly? |
(35 minutes later) | |
Last month Luis Suarez was photographed in a wheelchair after knee surgery. The Uruguay striker's two goals in Sao Paulo left England on the verge of a World Cup exit. How did he recover so quickly? | Last month Luis Suarez was photographed in a wheelchair after knee surgery. The Uruguay striker's two goals in Sao Paulo left England on the verge of a World Cup exit. How did he recover so quickly? |
Suarez injured his left knee while training for the World Cup and an MRI scan on 21 May found some damage to the meniscus. | Suarez injured his left knee while training for the World Cup and an MRI scan on 21 May found some damage to the meniscus. |
The Liverpool star had keyhole surgery soon afterwards. | |
Although he missed his country's opening match in Brazil - which they lost - he was ready to face England on Thursday. | Although he missed his country's opening match in Brazil - which they lost - he was ready to face England on Thursday. |
A common sports injury, particularly in footballers, a tear to the meniscus can take up to six weeks to heal. | A common sports injury, particularly in footballers, a tear to the meniscus can take up to six weeks to heal. |
There are two menisci within each knee, and these are essentially pads of cartilage or tough, flexible tissue. | There are two menisci within each knee, and these are essentially pads of cartilage or tough, flexible tissue. |
The menisci are cup-shaped and sandwiched between the bones of the lower and upper leg. | The menisci are cup-shaped and sandwiched between the bones of the lower and upper leg. |
They help to stabilise the knee joint and act as shock-absorbers. | They help to stabilise the knee joint and act as shock-absorbers. |
Adrian Wilson, a specialist knee surgeon with Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, is not overly surprised by Suarez's speedy return. | Adrian Wilson, a specialist knee surgeon with Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, is not overly surprised by Suarez's speedy return. |
There are other examples of athletes who have had this type of knee surgery and made similarly fast recoveries, he says. | There are other examples of athletes who have had this type of knee surgery and made similarly fast recoveries, he says. |
"It is possible to do minor, tidy-up-type surgery and to be back performing at a high level within a few weeks." | "It is possible to do minor, tidy-up-type surgery and to be back performing at a high level within a few weeks." |
Ian McDermott, a knee surgeon with London Sports Orthopaedics, takes a different view. He says Suarez's recovery is "bonkers". | |
"To be playing the way he did within four weeks of surgery is unheard of." | |
But there may be some long-term implications, he suggests. | |
"As a football manager you'd be delighted by his recovery but as a doctor you'd be horrified. It leaves him very vulnerable in the future." | |
By playing football regularly with a trimmed or damaged meniscus he could run the risk of getting arthritis in his knee, or suffering more serious knee problems, in the future, Mr McDermott says. | |
'Fitness level helps' | |
The operation would have involved an arthroscopy of the knee, also called keyhole surgery. | The operation would have involved an arthroscopy of the knee, also called keyhole surgery. |
This is a relatively minor procedure, performed under a general anaesthetic, and normally lasts about half an hour. | This is a relatively minor procedure, performed under a general anaesthetic, and normally lasts about half an hour. |
There is no indication as to how serious the striker's injury was. | There is no indication as to how serious the striker's injury was. |
However, Mr Wilson says surgery which involved repairing the meniscus - rather than simply trimming it - would have been more lengthy and complex and would have resulted in a longer lay-off. | |
Either way, Suarez's high fitness levels would have helped his recovery. | Either way, Suarez's high fitness levels would have helped his recovery. |
Dr Kal Parmar, a sports physician at University College London's Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health says Suarez's injury must have been operated on very quickly, within a day or two of the injury. | |
Physiotherapy and strength conditioning would then have played a key part in his recovery after surgery. | |
"The focus at that stage is on controlling the swelling and increasing the function of the knee joint," he explains. | |
"Suarez is very well conditioned anyway and his muscles are in good shape. He must have flown through rehab. | |
"I wouldn't say he looked like he had a knee injury in the game." | |
For an "ordinary mortal", rather than a fit international footballer, at least six weeks would be needed to return to a normal level of basic activity - even after minor surgery. | |
Ironically, a calf strain or pulled hamstring - also common football injuries but which cannot be resolved quickly by surgery - would have taken much longer to heal and would probably have kept him out of the whole tournament. | Ironically, a calf strain or pulled hamstring - also common football injuries but which cannot be resolved quickly by surgery - would have taken much longer to heal and would probably have kept him out of the whole tournament. |
Suarez was taken off on a stretcher before the end of the match, visibly tired and clutching his left leg. | Suarez was taken off on a stretcher before the end of the match, visibly tired and clutching his left leg. |
It was no surprise that he was not 100% fit after several weeks of rest and rehabilitation. | It was no surprise that he was not 100% fit after several weeks of rest and rehabilitation. |
Yet, depressingly for England supporters, he still found the energy and resilience to all but extinguish their World Cup hopes. | Yet, depressingly for England supporters, he still found the energy and resilience to all but extinguish their World Cup hopes. |