There is a common misconception that soccer is a sport for wimps. Recently, soccer enthusiast @soccerproblems went on a mission to turn this myth on its head. He took to his twitter account and asked his followers to send pictures of their soccer injuries.
He then compiled the 4 best (most gruesome) injuries into the following image (warning: these images are graphic – do not click on this link if you have a weak stomach): http://instagram.com/p/NKtfJln5j6/
These are all serious injuries that require immediate medical attention. Below is a brief summary of each injury and how each is best treated.
Top Left
Medial leg contusion (deep soft tissue bruise). Needs x-ray to check for fracture. Possible knee ligament injury. If it’s just a contusion it will resolve with rest, ice, and compression in a couple of weeks.
Bottom Left
Closed Tibia (leg bone) Fracture with recurvatum deformity (bent opposite the knee). This very painful injury is best treated with surgery as the Fibula bone is intact. Best treatment is intra-medullary nailing, followed by immediate weight bearing to get the fracture healing faster. On average it takes 12-16 weeks to recover from this injury. The most dangerous complication is compartment syndrome.
Top Right
Clavicle (collar bone) fracture with skin tenting. Treated with open plating. Open treatment of the clavicle gets an athlete back to sport much faster with a high rate of healing. It leaves an ugly scar but it’s worth the trade.
Bottom Right
Open tibia fracture, Grade II. This injury needs to be washed out in the OR immediately. To treat this injury quickly and safely an interlocking nail is placed down the center of the bone to hold it in place. Average healing time is around 16-20 weeks. There is a risk of compartment syndrome with this injury that can (at worst) result in losing the leg.