The injury that Louisville’s Kevin Ware sustained is a gruesome one to watch. An open tibia fracture is something that is much more common in higher energy type mechanisms such as motor vehicle collisions. The fact that he sustained this injury simply from landing on his leg with some twisting makes me think that he almost certainly had a stress fracture in that area. When he landed on that leg, his tibia was simply unable to withstand the forces due to the already weakened area and he completed the fracture. Due to the twisting and force of the landing the bone, unfortunately, came through the skin thus coming in contact with the outside world. This makes the situation worse not just because of its gruesome appearance but because of the now much higher chance for infection and potential for additional problems.
Kevin Ware will be in the hospital for a couple of days for IV antibiotics and therapy but will hopefully have a speedy recovery and be back on the court before next season.
Dr. B. Christian Balldin is an orthopaedic surgeon, fellowship trained in sports medicine. He treats patients aged 3 years and up and his special interests include sports injuries and fracture care. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Balldin, please call 210.281.9595.