Monday, August 29, 2011

Prince Amukamara's Foot Injury

First, the good news: The ridiculousness that is the NFL lockout is finally over. However for one player, his season will be locked out indefinitely. Prince Amukamara from Nebraska, the #1 pick of the New York Giants, fractured his 5th metatarsal bone in his left foot during the 2nd Giants practice. In the story released by ESPN, Coach Tom Coughlin goes on to say Amukamara was sore in that area beforehand but never communicated it to anyone. Amukamara states that the incident occurred when a player he was covering cut and inadvertently stepped on his foot. This type of injury can also occur with a “rolling” of the ankle.

The fifth metatarsal bone is located toward the end of the foot, on the outside border, and is a shaft-like bone that connects the 5th toe to the rest of the foot. Amukamara’s case will require surgery and a screw to heal properly. Surgery will vary on a case-by-case basis as there are numerous types of fractures that can occur to the 5th metatarsal specifically. The type of patient can also influence treatment. Your podiatrist may use a different treatment option if you are a NFL cornerback versus an elderly patient. Healing can vary greatly with this type of fracture. This is due to the lack of blood flow to some parts of this bone. This is one reason why the ESPN article is hesitant to give an exact timeline on Amukamara’s return.

The article also points out another important point. Couch Coughlin states that he had pain there before. Now there is no precise way to know if the 2 incidences are related but it does point out that if you are experiencing any type of foot pain, it is worth getting checked out before it progresses to something more serious. Remember, foot pain is not normal. If you are having any concerns about the health of your feet, remember to get them checked out by Dr.Grimm or Dr.Pattison at the Foot Associates of Central Texas.

Source: http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/6840281/prince-amukamara-new-york-giants-breaks-foot-indefinitely