MSU Football Player Undergoes Surgery to Repair Foot Injury

It  seems the gamut of injuries modern athletes are susceptible to is endless. Depending upon the sport, certain muscle systems and extremities are subject to more stress than others.  However, throughout all sports, the genesis of athletic prowess and speed seems to rely on the feet and no athlete can perform to his peak with a foot injury.

One of the less common injuries in athletes is what is known is the Lis Franc injury.   This is an injury affecting the middle, of the foot or instep area, consisting of one or all of the metatarsal bones being dislocated and the ligament between the bones (Lis Franc ligament and/or intermetatarsal ligaments) being damaged or torn.  These ligaments are responsible for providing stability in the foot as well as an athletes’ ability to accelerate and shift direction.

This injury often occurs when an athlete has their foot extended downward and another player lands on their heel or when a sudden rotational force is exerted on a plantar flexed (downward pointing) forefoot. Many of the NFL’s most elite have recently sustained these injuries including Jets’ Wide receiver Santonio Holmes, the Raiders Darren McFadden and Texans QB Matt Shaub.  All of these players sustained the injury after having their foot  rolled or crushed during a tackle.  Many athletes have described this injury as feeling the ligament in the foot “pop” followed by radiating pain throughout the foot and lower leg.  In many cases, a surgical procedure is needed to restore function to the foot.  If left untreated, this injury can lead to the misaligned bones and joints rubbing against one another leading to painful traumatic arthritis.

This was the case for Montclair State University Defensive Back, Clario Sampson, who on September 23 suffered the injury during a game against William Paterson University while making a tackle.  After pursuing a Wide Receiver in the open field and making a tackle Clario’s foot became trapped under his body.  The opposing player also fell on top of Clario adding significant more force to his already compromised foot.  Clario’s foot was in the pivoted position and extreme inverted force was applied to his ledt  foot.   Clario’s ligament was immediately severed and he was unable to walk off the field under his own power.

Later that week, Clario was seen by Dr. Suneel Basra of Active Foot and Ankle Care.  Weight bearing X- rays taken in the office showed a gap between the bases of his first and second metatarsal bones that undoubtedly signaled to the doctor that an immediate surgical procedure was needed. This was confirmed by MRI.  Dr. Richard Braver, of Active Foot and Ankle Care, was charged with performing the surgery.  Using his revolutionary percutaneous techniques, Dr. Braver was able to make a 1/2 inch incision into Clario’s foot.  Once the incision was made, Dr. Braver was able to realign the dislocated metatarsals as well as reposition the ligament into its proper position using 2 separate metal guide pins.  X-ray images confirmed the proper alignment and then hollow core screws were placed over the pins and tightened in place. The guide pins were then removed.  These screws facilitate healing by maintaining proper alignment of the joints, soft tissues and  act to provide compression of the ends of the ligament between the metatarsals.

Clario’s Incision

After 3 weeks in a fiberglass cast, Clario will begin rehab for 3-6 weeks after which it is anticipated he  will have full restoration of mobility in his foot with no long term limitations or constraints.  Dr. Braver fully anticipates Clario’s  return to sports within 2 months and his return to the field before the start of next season.

Many athletes have been hesitant to undergo surgery due to the perception of having to be sidelined for most or all of the season.  With Dr. Braver’s revolutionary percutaneous approach to podiatric surgery, athletes heal much more rapidly than with traditional surgeries.  This is due to the muscle-sparing and limited scarring approach utilized during these procedures.  Surrounding tissue and muscle systems are not disrupted during these procedures, so only the affected area is addressed and left to heal.  Clario is expected to make a full return.