To add to the New York Jet's woes, wide receiver Santonio Holmes may have suffered a dreaded Lis Franc's injury. He crumpled after catching the ball and seemed to loose his footing. So far x-rays are negative. A copy of his MRI is being sent to a leading foot surgeon to read. What is this and why is this such a devastating injury? When might he be able to return? To answer these questions it is important to understand the complex anatomy in this area of the foot.
The Lis franc's area is made up of five long bones called the metatarsal bones and 4 smaller bones( the cuboid and 3 cuneiforms). In addition, there are several soft tissue structures that hold these joints together, the biggest one is between the bones closest to the inside of the midfoot called the Lis Franc ligament (named after a French surgeon who preformed amputations in the midfoot during war times). Injury can occur causing fractures of the bone, dislocations of the mid-foot joints, or injury to the soft tissues surrounding these areas. Injury can occur through direct injury, such as dropping a heavy object on the foot, or indirectly through a twisting injury when the foot is fixed to the ground, i.e.- a cleat stuck in the turf. With these injuries, the joints can be damaged along with the cartiledge. With fractures or a tear of the Lis Franc ligament, surgery may be needed to achieve a more stable foot. The recovery time is 6-8 weeks non-weight bearing following the surgery and progressing over the next 2 months from non- to partial- to finally full-weight bearing. The concern with this injury is whether there is a return of the mobility of the midfoot. Often, professional athletes' ability to return to professional sports is questionable.
The x-rays for Santonio Holmes are negative but let's hope the MRI does not show a Lis Franc's ligament tear. "Gang Green" has enough issues for this season.
Dr. "Sandie" Grulke
http://www.podiatrycarespecialists.com/
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