Dr. Holdren Otis’ Comments
On Wednesday during the eleventh day of the tour de Spain, Chris Froome, the most recent winner of the Tour De France, ran into a barrier and stone wall with his bike. Unknowing of his fracture and tough as nails, he got back on his bike and finished 9 minutes behind the winner. He and team Sky were hoping he would be able to continue but he was unable to put weight on his injured right foot. X-rays did not show anything but an MRI revealed a fracture of his navicular bone, which is located in the inside of the midfoot. An MRI is a more specific test than a normal xray. With an MRI, swelling of the bone and soft tissue injury can be seen much clearer.
Yes, this is the same bone that Miguel Cabrera broke at the end of the 2014 MLB season. Cabrera needed the navicular bone surgically fixed because his fracture was through the main portion. The navicular is one of the key bones that make up the arch of the foot. Surgery is usually indicated for this type of injury for solid fixation and stability. This bone has large areas of cartilage and correct healing is important not to predispose an athlete to arthritis. Bones normally heal in 6 weeks with proper casting. I recommend a bone stimulator to increase the healing potential. A bone stimulator device placed on top of the foot that helps encourage blood flow and bony bridging. No word about what treatment Chris Froome will receive.