An unprecedented event happened in Tour of France go cycling this weekend. Because of a spectator who crossed paths with athletes, a massive chain fall resulted in injuries and the abandonment of relevant figures and even candidates to win the award. Among them, Marc Soler had to retire due to 3 fractures in his left forearm, which is a serious outcome.
The irresponsible gesture of the woman was reflected in the cameras that filmed the cyclists, as well as the gestures of pain and discomfort of those who saw their aspirations crushed. Although the Spaniard of the Movistar team managed to recover and finish the stage, he did it with great discomfort and in last place.
After getting off the bike, it was subjected to the rigorous tests that confirmed the serious outcome of 3 fractures for Marc Soler. 2 in the left radius and 1 in the head of the ulna of the same forearm. In short, a forced abandonment.
We will then see what the athlete’s fractures are about and what kind of recovery awaits him. Fortunately, preliminary assessments in Spain have already indicated that he will not go under the knife.
distal radius fracture
One of the fractures suffered by Marc Soler was in the distal radius. This is the region near the wrist, in a joint that is susceptible to fall damage, as the tendency is to use the hand to stop the impact.
There is not just one type of distal radius fracture, but there are 4 variations:
- Driver: the classic sign of this injury is a twisted hand, usually with the palm facing forward.
- Collars: this fracture occurs when the hand is bent back during a fall. It is the most frequent and has a special prevalence among children, even if in them the bone is not completely destroyed in its cortex, but manifests itself as green stemwith a bone fold without break.
- Blacksmith: It is very similar to that of Colles, except that the mechanism of origin is explained by the fall on the outstretched hand and the palm against the ground.
- barton: this variety is a dislocated fracture. In addition to breaking the bone, there is a departure from the point of the wrist joint.
Treatment will depend on the alignment of the fragments after the trauma. In most cases, immobilization of 4 to 6 weeks is sufficient to promote healing. Conversely, if there is axis shift, surgery is preferable.
Wrist splints help stabilize the joint to promote internal healing.
fracture of the proximal radius
Also known as fracture of the radial head, is a pathology that is classified within the traumatological problems of the elbow. Marc Soler has, among his 3 fractures, a lesion of this area which limits the joint movements between the forearm and the arm.
The most common mechanism that explains this problem is falling with hand support. and the upper limb extended to stop the blow. The tension transmitted along the bone culminates in the break in the proximal area, closest to the body.
Damping results in overcoming the forces you are trying to contain. For physical reasons, the radium head absorbs much of these impacts, culminating in tissue failure. At the same time, it is not unlikely that the end of this bone will also lose its natural position and become dislocated.
These possibilities of manifestation give rise to the classification classic proximal radius fracture:
- Type 1: the radial head is fractured, but there is no displacement.
- Type 2: displacement or subluxation is added.
- Type 3: there are comminuted fractures, that is, small pieces of bone that break into several parts.
One of the immediate complications in this injury is fluid accumulation. For this reason, some specialists choose to drain the elbow to help the bones return to their natural position. Then you have to decide if need an operating room or not. In those who have not moved, immobilization is chosen, but comminuted cases and cases of elbow lock resolve with surgery.
Fracture of the head of the ulna
Among Marc Soler’s 3 fractures we finally have that of the head of the ulna. This area is the distal part of the bone. contacting the wrist and forming the distal radioulnar joint. It is a structure of bone and soft tissue that allows for some specific movement in the area.
Trauma medicine tends to always evaluate the head of the ulna in relation to the ligaments of the wrist. Therefore, it is believed that a fracture in the region is, in fact, a pathology of the triangular fibrocartilaginous complex or of the distal radioulnar joint as a whole.
Anyway, the conservative approach is the most frequent. It consists of rest and immobilization which tends to last for 1 month or more. The prescription of analgesics and anti-inflammatories depends on the degree of pain and medical criteria. They can be used initially, until the wrist deflates.
As we have already said, the treatment must be considered within the complex of the wrist and in consideration of the amount of soft tissue involved in the lesion. It is therefore worth framing the serious outcome for Marc Soler in what would be the conditions of the forearm as a whole.
Forearm fractures
Marc Soler had a serious outcome due to 3 fractures in the same area of ​​the body: the forearm, between the elbow and the wrist. In sports it is common for there to be a combination of injuries to the radius and ulna. Above all, it is the falls that favor the commitment as a whole.
So much so that there are proper names for some of these problems:
- buckle fracture: This happens when one of the two bones (the radius or ulna) compresses the other and folds part of its cartilage. Course without dislocation.
- green stem: this is the childhood form of presentation, in most cases. The bone appears to bend without breaking completely, due to immaturity of the tissue due to the process of growth and development.
- Galeazzi fracture: it consists of a fracture of the radius, which dislocates, together with a dislocation of the ulna distally, near the wrist.
- Monteggia fracture: A severe form presentation that needs to be treated immediately due to forearm involvement. The ulna is fractured and the radial head is dislocated.
What awaits Marc Soler after the 3 fractures?
This year seems to be forgotten for Marc Soler. After the crash in the Giro d’Italia, he now has to withdraw from the Tour of France due to a series of fractures which cast doubt on his participation in the next big round that would see him on home soil: the Tour of Spain, scheduled to start on August 14 in Burgos.
Considering about 6 weeks of recovery, time is tight. It is very likely that he will undergo intensive rehabilitation to get his forearm into shape to withstand the movements of the bicycle, but only later can a verdict be given.
Not needing surgery, the possibility and hope is alive. Undoubtedly, having finished the Tour de France stage with those fractures he has proven to be strong enough to meet the challenge. For now, rest and immobilization.
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