Macon Doctor Weighs in on Louisville Basketball Player’s Injury

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Many are calling it the worst sports injury they’ve ever seen.

During Louisville’s Elite 8 game Sunday against Duke, the Cardinals’ Kevin Ware ran out to attempt to block a three-point shot and came down awkwardly on his right leg.

Ware suffered a compound fracture in his lower leg, meaning his bone stuck out of his skin.

Players on both teams covered their faces, the arena went silent and some were even brought to tears.

So how does an injury like this happen?

Dr. Robert Thornsberry with OrthoGeorgia in Macon says it was just the perfect storm.

“The angle that he came down, the rotation of his leg, all the physics and biomechanics were set up for him to break that leg,” says Thornsberry.  “He was high in the air and he came down with tremendous force just because of how high he was.  Once it came down and broke, then the force to to bring it out of the skin was not too much.  That’s why it went through the skin, because you don’t have much protection there in the front of your leg in the form of muscles.”

Ware did have a successful surgery Sunday night.

Dr. Thornsberry says injuries where the bone actually comes out of the skin aren’t common in sports, but he sees them often from car crashes and similar incidents.

Thornsberry thinks Ware should recover within a year and be able to play next season if he wishes.