Yao Ming’s Foot Injury May Be Career-Ending

Yao Ming, the 7-foot-6 center for the Houston Rockets, may be looking at a more serious injury than previously believed. The injury came late in the 108-94 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. Yao Ming left the game, and his left foot was immobilized immediately, pending further medical studies. The fracture to his navicular bone, a bone on the inside of the foot, has expanded rather than healing.

The news comes after team physician, Dr. Tom Clanton told the Houston Chronicle that Yao Ming’s injury “has the potential for him missing this next season and could be career-threatening." Though Yao is not experiencing any pain or tenderness with the injury, a bone scan revealed that the hairline fracture of the navicular had grown larger, and that intervention would likely be necessary.

Specialists are being consulted on the manner, and options are being weighed. One of the options being considered is to surgically fix the broken bone by placing a permanent screw into it. This type of procedure would likely sideline the Rockets’ keystone player for at least the next season. A similar procedure was performed on Cleveland Cavaliers center Zyndrunas Ilgauskas, with good results. Other options include giving the bone more time to heal, using a bone graft, or repositioning the foot to relieve some of the stress on the injury. The important thing to remember is that Yao is not suffering any pain for now, so any intervention will have to take this into consideration.

This injury is the most serious in a series of foot and leg injuries suffered by Yao Ming. Yao missed 21 games in the 2005-2006 season because of an infection in his toe that required surgery. He then broke a bone in his left foot that April, sidelining him once again. Yao sat out another 32 games the following year with a broken right leg, and then had a stress fracture in his left leg in the 2007-2008 that made him miss the playoffs.

The hairline fracture comes as a huge blow to the Rockets, who made it out of the first round of the NBA playoffs this year for the first time since signing Yao. If in fact Yao is done, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey is in for a tough decision. Yao Ming was considered one of the cornerstones of the team, and his presence on the court will certainly be missed. Additionally, Yao Ming has helped bolster the NBA’s international image in China. Over a billion people may be holding their breath right now, waiting to see if Yao will be back for next year’s season.

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