Michael Owen to miss world cup?...

[Gully]

He should be fine by the time the World Cup kicks off, mind you I am not a physiotherapist and am totally unqualified to comment on the matter, fingers crossed.

 

[Jam The Man]

What a result for England. He'll be well rested and in tip top condition.. which is more than can be said for his contributions in the last 3 tourrnaments

 

[saafend_seagull]

What nationality is Roberts of Wigan?

 

[Trigger]

What nationality is Roberts of Wigan?

Think he plays for Grenada or someone like that.

 

[saafend_seagull]

Bollox.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Let's get him to Withdean on loan for the next two months.

He could do a job ... the one that Molango does.

 

[Ccider]

Didn't know Michael Owen knew miss world.

 

[HAMPSHIRE DAVE]

Don't give a toss about Owen playing for England or not.
The only team that really counts are.....BRIGHTON!!!

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Well done robbo

 

[Halftime Oranges]

FFS a broken metatarsal is only two months

 

[Halftime Oranges]

The Injury
Soccer fans worldwide became familiar with metatarsal injuries after Manchester United and England stars, David Beckham and Gary Neville, suffered metatarsal fractures in the build up to the 2002 World Cup. To understand the injury further it is probably best to start by explaining the anatomy of the foot.





There are five metatarsal bones in each foot. They are the relatively long bones which are located between the 'Tarsal' bones of the hind-foot and the 'Phalanges' bones in the toes. Functionally, the ankle and foot have two principle functions: propulsion and support. The metatarsal bones play a major role in these functions. For propulsion they act like a rigid lever and for support they act like a flexible structure that aids balance, thus holding up the entire body.

Fractures to the metatarsal bones can be caused by direct trauma, excessive rotational forces or overuse. During soccer, direct trauma is usually caused by a player accidentally kicking the sole of an opponent's boot, or by an opponent stepping on a player's foot. As there is very little soft tissue to protect the top of the foot, bony injuries are common. The second, third and fourth metatarsals are the most commonly fractured with this mechanism of injury.

Rotational forces occur when the ankle twists and the player makes an attempt to stop himself going over on the ankle. This mechanism of injury usually affects the fifth (outermost) metatarsal. Therefore, it is not uncommon for ankle sprain injuries to be accompanied by a fracture to the fifth metatarsal.

There are two common types of fracture to the fifth metatarsal: the Jones fracture refers to a transverse fracture through the metatarsal and an Avulsion fracture is when a muscle (contracting to prevent a sprained ankle) pulls so forcefully that it pulls off a piece of the metatarsal bone.

Overuse can cause stress fractures of the metatarsals. These fractures are common in army recruits as well as sporting individuals and are commonly known as 'march' fractures. The patient will normally report about two weeks of gradually increasing pain in the region before an incident 'converts' the stress fracture to a full fracture. The second metatarsal is the most commonly affected, but the fifth metatarsal can also be affected. While the stress fracture of the second metatarsal usually heals well, the healing of a stress fracture to the fifth metatarsal can be more problematic.

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Signs & Symptoms
As with all fractures, there is pain and the patient will usually find it difficult to walk. Often there will be pain if the fracture site is touched. There may be slight swelling over the outer border of the foot and bruising is usually evident after a day or two. If a metatarsal fracture is suspected the patient should be transferred to an accident department where a doctor can confirm the diagnosis by ordering an x-ray.

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Treatment
The treatment of metatarsal fractures varies depending on the type and location of the fracture. If the fracture is due to direct trauma and the fracture fragments are well aligned then the treatment is immobilisation and non-weight bearing for 6 - 8 weeks. Immobilisation can be achieved using a plaster cast or a removable plastic pneumatic boot. The removable boot is better for a sporting individual, because the boot can be removed for physiotherapy treatment, which is aimed at preventing stiffness in the ankle joints. In addition, cardiovascular fitness can be maintained by performing non-weight bearing exercises in a swimming pool.

The same method is usually adequate for 'march' (stress) fractures of the second metatarsal and rotational fractures of the fifth metatarsal. However, stress fractures of the base of the fifth metatarsal sometimes show a poor healing capacity. For this reason, many orthopaedic consultants now favour surgical fixation. A small incision is made on the outside border of the foot and a small screw is placed down the middle of the fractured bone. With this method a return to sporting activity is usually possible after 6 - 8 weeks.