Understanding Chet Holmgren’s Hip Fracture
- Post By: Jeff Stotts
- Date:
- Category: NBA, Understanding...
Just days after Ja Morant suffered a hip subluxation that is expected to sideline him for multiple weeks, the Thunder’s Chet Holmgren suffered a rare hip injury of his own. Holmgren suffered a right hip fracture after a scary fall while contesting a layup.
The bony pelvis is the area of the body made up of the lower bones of the spines, the sacrum and coccyx, and the two hip bones. Each individual hip bone is comprised of three separate bones, the ilium, ischium and pubis. These bones are fused together and help form the acetabulum, the socket for the ball-and-socket joint of the hip known as the glenohumeral (GH) joint. The design of the pelvis allows it to absorb weight from the upper body while also distributing weight to the lower extremities with activity. The pelvis also serves as an anchor point for various muscles of the trunk and legs.
In sports, fractures of the hips and pelvis most often occur when one of the attached muscles pulls away a piece of bone in a type of fracture known as an avulsion fracture. More traumatic injuries can involve the GH joint and the head of the femur. Injuries to this area often require surgical intervention and come with a lengthy recovery, especially if the hip labrum is damaged. This is the location of Morant’s recent injury.
Unlike Morant, Holmgren’s injury didn’t involve the joint. The Thunder specified that the fracture occurred to the right iliac wing. The ilium is the largest bone of the hip. It is marked by the iliac crest, a narrow ridge of bone that you can feel when you place your hands on hips. The crest is part of the iliac wing (ala) that makes up the upper portion of the ilium bone. Fractures here are usually the result of a direct impact. Treatment options are based on the pattern fracture and any possible displacement, but most isolated iliac wing fractures are treated conservatively. Additional care may be needed to any attaching muscles that may have also been injured. Based on the details provided, it may be more appropriate to call Holmgren’s injury a pelvic fracture.
Finding a comparable example in the NBA is tough. The InStreetClothes.com/SMART database has two injuries listed as hip fractures, but both cases do little to provide much insight. Former Thunder forward Mamadi Diakite suffered a hip fracture during the 2021 preseason and was waived before the start of the regular season. He rejoined the team three months later, signing a 10-day hardship contract. However, determining an exact timeline for recovery is nearly impossible. Guard Sundiata Gaines suffered a hip fracture late in the 2011 season, missing the final 12 games of the year. He never returned to the NBA but managed to continue his career overseas and in the G-League.
Since neither case provides a definitive timeline, it’s difficult to speculate how long Holmgren will be out. The Thunder announced they expect him to return this season and will provide a return-to-play protocol in eight-to-ten weeks. Expect that timeline to remain fluid as the team continues to assess his injury and the subsequent healing.