Understanding Neymar’s Back Injury and How The NBA Can Provide Reason for Optimism

• Post By: Jeff Stotts
• Date: July 5, 2014
• Category: NBA, Soccer, Understanding...

Brazil, the host country and favorite to win the 2014 World Cup, will have to continue their quest for their sixth trophy without the services of Neymar. The team-leader in goals scored suffered a vertebrae fracture during Friday’s win over 2-1 win over Columbia. The injury occurred when a Colombian defender Juan Zúñiga kneed him directly in the lower back. Neymar was removed from the field on a stretcher and a subsequent x-ray revealed the fracture.

The particular vertebra injured was the third vertebra of the lumbar region of his spine. The lumbar vertebrae are larger in size as they are designed to bear the majority of the body’s weight. Each vertebra consists of multiple bony projections that aid in movement, serve as an attachment site for muscle and ligaments, and safeguard the area from trauma. In this sense, the bony processes did their job, absorbing the force of Zúñiga’s knee and protecting the spinal cord and intravertebral discs.

Brazil’s team doctor revealed the exact process broken was one of the transverse processes, the projections on the side of each vertebra. This location is significant as the L3 transverse processes serve as the initial anchor point for the psoas major muscle. The psoas is the muscle primarily responsible for forward bending (flexion) of the hip as well as hip rotation and forward bending of the spine itself. As a result, an injury to this area not only affects the spine but also dynamic motion at the hip. For a soccer player this type of injury will be particularly limiting.

On the plus side the fracture is reportedly small and there appears to be no nerve or organ damage. Currently surgery is not considered necessary though additional testing will be performed. Neymar will be immobilized to minimize movement at the fracture site and allow the bone to properly heal. His World Cup is over but his long-term prognosis is good.

Out of curiosity, the injury was run through the InStreetClothes.com NBA Injury Database and four cases of transverse process fractures were discovered, including Chris Andersen, Wally Szczerbiak, Jason Thompson, and Hedo Turkolgu. Turkoglu was the most recent example, having missed the Clippers’ last eight games of the 2013-14 playoffs after injuring his back against the Warriors. Fortunately for Neymar three of the players returned to action in a matter of weeks, not months, and the lone exception was Turkoglu who had missed 15 days before Los Angeles’ season ended was ended by Oklahoma City.

While soccer can be more physical than basketball, these examples have to be encouraging for FC Barcelona. While he seems poised to miss one or more of the preseason friendly matches slated for late July and August, he could be back just as the 2014-15 regular season begins. However the club will handle Neymar’s return conservatively to avoid any setbacks and additional time will be necessary for him to regain his conditioning.

Neymar’s World Cup has sadly ended but fortunately his professional career is not in jeopardy. Time and patience will be required for a complete recovery but the Brazilian forward should be back in time to help Barcelona compete for their third La Liga trophy in the last five years and 23^rd overall.