PA Podiatrist Explains Tennis Star Nadal's Müller-Weiss Syndrome
American foot specialist Zachary Thomas, DPM explains why Rafael Nadal’s performances on the tennis court are so incredible from a medical point of view. Last Sunday, the 36-year-old triumphed for the 14th time at the French Open and at the same time expanded his Grand Slam successes to 22 tournaments. Nadal has been playing with a chronic foot injury, the so-called Müller-Weiss syndrome, for a long time. “As you get older, the scaphoid loses more and more blood; it starts to die. When that bone starts to die, it starts to crumble, right between the ankle and the bone of the metatarsal, the ball of the foot.”
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Dr. Zachary Thomas |
Every time you step on it, this bone is hit like a nutcracker, says the doctor. “It keeps crumbling away until you end up with a huge dent in the middle part of your foot. That alone hurts enough.” This can also lead to arthritis in other areas, because the joint that the bone is involved in is the most important thing in the foot, especially in tennis, explains Dr. Thomas. “It’s not something that comes and goes – it’s a constant, excruciating pain that makes his Grand Slam record even more impressive.”
Source: archyworldys.com [6/7/22]
