Understanding LaMelo Ball’s Wrist Fracture
- Post By: Jeff Stotts
- Date:
- Category: Break Down, NBA, Understanding...
LaMelo Ball’s impressive rookie campaign could be over after the Hornets guard suffered a right wrist injury. Ball underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair a broken bone and will be out for at least the next four weeks.
The wrist is comprised of the distal ends of the bones of the forearm and eight tiny bones known as the carpal bones. The carpals are situated into two distinct rows. This configuration allows them to move, or articulate, with one another as well as the radius, ulna, and the bones of the hand. LaMelo’s injury likely involves the carpal bone known as the scaphoid. The scaphoid sits at the base of the thumb and is a major contributor to motion at the wrist, articulating with as many as five different neighboring bones. The cashew-shaped bone serves as an attachment site for multiple ligaments.
The scaphoid is the most frequently fractured of the carpal bones. Unfortunately, the bone’s blood supply is poor and healing can often take a significant amount of time. As a result, surgery is often the best course of treatment.
In surgery, a surgical screw or wire will be placed at the fracture site to stabilize the bone and create an environment more condusive to healing. The procedure does have a high success rate of recovery if performed early, though complications like nonunions and avascular necrosis can occur.
A look through the InStreetClothes.com/SMART database suggests Ball is looking at a significant absence. Since the 2005-2006 season there have been five confirmed scaphoid fractures in the NBA. Oddly these five breaks occurred in just four players as former guard Kevin Martin broke both his left and right scaphoid during his NBA career. The average time lost for in-season fractures was 33.3 games and/or 70.0 days. However, a return ahead of these numbers is possible. All-Star guard Bradley Beal suffered a scaphoid fracture during the preseason of the 2014-15 season. He missed just 11 regular season games and returned after 40 days. Beal’s surgeon? Dr. Michelle Carlson, the same doctor that just operated on Ball’s injured wrist.
Ball is slated to be reevaluated in four weeks. At that time the medical staff will evaluate the healing progression of the injury site to determine if Ball can resume his rookie campaign. Charlotte’s positioning in the standings may also influence the team’s decision to clear their emerging star for a return this year.