Why an ankle fracture does not have to be a drama for Wout van Aert: “Spring may not be in jeopardy”
A new year, a new uppercut for Wout van Aert. The ever-unfortunate rider suffered a broken ankle during his fall in the Zilvermeercross in Mol. His cross winter will soon be over, but will his spring on the road also be in jeopardy? Perhaps not, estimates sports doctor Tom Teulingkx, who has already guided Wout van Aert in the past. “In a best-case scenario, he will be able to cycle again within a few weeks.”
A fall, a grimace and ultimately a surrender. The snow in Mol brought Wout van Aert a lot of misery on Friday.
After examination in the Herentals hospital, the verdict turned out to be serious: a fractured ankle marks Van Aert’s crosswinter.
“We usually see such fractures on a football field or volleyball court, and not on a bicycle,” says sports doctor Tom Teulingkx, who has guided Wout van Aert in the past.
“But of course it can always happen to a cyclist. You really saw the ankle double. Such an ankle distortion is even one of the injuries we see most in sports.”
If it is a minor loosening of the bone, it can be quickly fixed, for example with a plate.
Tom Teulingkx, sports doctor
“There are hundreds of ligaments around the ankle, which usually tear or stretch due to such a distortion,” Teulingkx explains. “Then you get swelling. In a minority of cases, this will also cause a fracture. In that case, the bone, which is wrapped in those ligaments, has also been hit.”
“If it is a small loosening of the bone, it can be quickly fixed (fastened, ed.), with a plate or screw, for example. This is also done with a collarbone fracture. And that can speed up healing. But there are dozens of bones in the ankle and the foot, so it is a matter of looking at coffee grounds.”
Recovery period of 3 to 4 weeks?
It is not yet known how serious the fracture is. Van Aert will go under the knife in Herentals on Saturday. This will probably result in more clarity about the rehabilitation period.
Teulingkx is also in the dark about the severity of the injury, “but a twisted ankle usually needs 3 to 4 weeks to recover,” he knows.
“It is logical that Wout will no longer cycle. Because a cyclocross rider also has to walk, which is very stressful for the ankle.”
“But if you just cycle on the road, you will be able to fix and treat the ankle much easier, because it is less stressed and fixed in a pedal.”
If you simply cycle on the road, the ankle is put under much less strain, because it is fixed in a pedal.
Tom Teulingkx, sports doctor
And so the ankle fracture does not necessarily have to be a drama for Van Aert. “In the most favorable scenario, Wout could be back on the bike within a few weeks, depending on the severity of the fracture.”
“Nature has to do its job, but I think that his spring on the road will probably not be compromised. If I saw the images, it could all not be too bad,” Teulingkx concludes hopefully.
