With Liverpool sanctioning a club-record switch charge for brand spanking new striker Darwin Nunez, Dr Rajpal Brar assesses his historical past of knee accidents and any future considerations.
Nunez made an indelible impression on Jurgen Klopp throughout the Champions League quarter-finals towards Benfica, to the purpose that Liverpool made him their precedence signing throughout this summer time’s switch window.
The membership reportedly spent practically £65 million on the preliminary switch charge with a further £20 million in potential bonuses, which might break the earlier switch report for Virgil van Dijk.
Nevertheless, with massive transfers and stress comes nice accountability.
A key a part of that’s staying wholesome, significantly after the comparatively glowing damage report of the now-departed Sadio Mane, whose affect Nunez will partially hope to exchange.
One of many major indicators of a participant’s damage threat is their earlier report, as the best threat for future damage is a earlier damage – particularly with delicate tissue (muscle tissues, ligaments, tendons) accidents.
With that in thoughts, let’s undergo Nunez’s damage historical past.
Damage historical past
In 2017, Nunez suffered a left knee damage, and though the damage was by no means confirmed, it appears like he suffered a rupture to his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and underwent a reconstruction.
Clearly, an ACL requiring surgical procedure is a significant damage, and the important thing dangers are downstream results similar to elevated put on and tear on the knee, a part of which relies on the extent of general injury to the encompassing cartilage (particularly the knee meniscus).
Within the following 12 months, 2018, Nunez once more injured his left knee requiring surgical procedure.
There are conflicting reviews relating to the damage, with some stating it was an ACL re-rupture and others stating it was a patellar tendon damage.
Whatever the specifics, that’s two accidents to the identical knee in back-to-back years, which might have raised some concern on the time.
Following that left knee damage – outdoors of anticipated minor knocks and delicate muscular points – his solely different vital damage got here in late Could 2021, when he had surgical procedure on his proper knee.
Primarily based on the return timeline of practically 90 days, this sounds most like a meniscus restore process.
How regarding is it?
When taking a look at Nunez’s damage historical past in a vacuum with out context, two left knee surgical procedures in back-to-back years and a proper knee surgical procedure definitely doesn’t sound nice.
Nevertheless, the important thing issue of the utmost significance is Nunez hasn’t proven any downstream points on both knee.
The left knee has been comparatively injury-free since 2018 and the appropriate knee held up fairly effectively final season as he went on to attain 34 objectives in 41 appearances, averaging nearly 70 minutes on the pitch per sport.
His minutes seem to have been fastidiously managed, with Nunez solely finishing the total 90 on 12 events and being substituted off 20 occasions.
However additional with the appropriate knee, the analysis on meniscus repairs exhibits excellent outcomes for footballers since you are protecting the tissue intact.
Liverpool medicals – and a key instance
Clearly, Liverpool’s medical employees went via a full checkup with Nunez and signed off on his medicals earlier than clearing his switch.
The upper the charge, the extra meticulous the medical employees are usually and the much less threat the membership is keen to tolerate.
Look no additional than present Actual Betis midfielder and at-the-time Lyon star Nabil Fekir’s failed switch as a major instance of that.
In keeping with his agent, a key purpose why his switch to Liverpool fell via was concern along with his knee.
Fekir – like Nunez – had ruptured his ACL and had reconstructive surgical procedure.
From my understanding, Liverpool weren’t comfy with the quantity of wear and tear and tear in his knee joint and the way that will doubtlessly affect him within the medium and long run.
Due to this fact, they nixed the deal.
The truth that Fekir and Nunez had the identical damage – and Nunez additionally had one other surgical procedure on the identical knee – however Liverpool’s medical employees signed off on this case (at a better charge, no much less) very seemingly speaks to how comfy they have been along with his medicals.
That’s a really optimistic indicator of his present and future well being.
Nunez and Liverpool’s coaching employees
Final, however definitely not least, is that Nunez in response to a number of reviews is extraordinarily dedicated to his well being and bodily coaching off the pitch.
“I like how a lot focus and humility he has,” Klopp himself mentioned as his new No. 27 was unveiled.
That dedication and dedication is all the time crucial for sustaining well being, significantly within the case of gamers with a earlier damage historical past.
To additional bolster that, Nunez now has entry to top-of-the-line coaching staffs in elite soccer.
A living proof is Liverpool’s sustained health stage final season whereas competing deep into each event and for the league title till the final day.
That mixture of Nunez’s work ethic with their stage of experience bodes extraordinarily effectively – not just for his damage threat, however for his efficiency as effectively.
• Dr. Rajpal Brar, DPT, (@3cbperformance) is a physiotherapist, motion mechanics coach, health coach, sports activities scientist and mindfulness coach.
He runs the web and Los Angeles-based wellness and athletic efficiency clinic 3CB Efficiency, and you may subscribe to his Youtube channel (which posts quite a lot of Liverpool-related content material) right here.
