Monday, December 12, 2011

DeMarco Murray out for Season with Broken Ankle


DeMarco Murray, running back for the Dallas Cowboys, will be out for the rest of the season with a broken ankle.  The injury came this Sunday night in the first quarter of the game against the New York Giants, as Murray was pulled down at the end of an eight-yard gain.  His ankle was pinned against the turf, and the injury is being reported as an ankle fracture and a high ankle sprain.

The rookie was a key asset to the Cowboys’ offense this season in their search for a playoff spot, but will sit the rest of the season as the injury heals.  He had run for 25 yards already in the game, giving him 899 for the season.  The combination of ankle fracture and high ankle sprain will certainly require some attention from the Dallas medical staff and trainers. 

Ankle fractures are a common pathology during sports, and can occur from either direct or indirect mechanisms.  Indirect mechanisms imply a twisting force placed across the ankle when the foot is held in place.  This is particularly common in football, as is the diagnosis of a high ankle sprain. 

A high ankle sprain refers to damage to the ankle syndesmosis, which is a structure that keeps the tibia and fibula in close contact, helping to create and stabilize the ankle joint.  An injury to the syndesmosis can often lead to long-term damage and instability in the joint.  These sprains are often treated with surgery, where a screw is placed across the syndesmosis to prevent it from moving while the tissues are allowed time to heal.  In the case of DeMarco Murray, it is uncertain whether surgery will be necessary. 

 Ankle fractures can be treated conservatively, often immobilizing the ankle and leg in a short leg cast or a removable boot and keeping weight off of the leg while it heals.  For ankle fractures that have become displaced, meaning that the ends of the broken bone do not line up with each other, surgery may become necessary to achieve a favorable outcome. Surgery for ankle fractures involves the use of screws and plates, which may be necessary to use on both sides of the ankle.  In the case of ankle fracture combined with high ankle sprain, it becomes very important to stabilize the ankle sprain with a screw across the tibia and fibula, the leg bones that create the ankle joint.  Without this stabilization, motion across the screw will cause the screw to fail, and the fracture fragments will be allowed to move apart.

As for DeMarco Murray, he will hopefully be able to heal his injury rapidly, and return to a productive career.  The rookie running back was having a great season before the injury, rushing for 293 yards in October, the seventh-most in the history of the NFL.



Central Florida Foot and Ankle Center, LLC. 
101 6TH St. NW. 
Winter Haven, Fl. 33881 
863-299-4551
www.FLFootandAnkle.com

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