Delhi doctors perform rare ankle surgery on footballer

In what could boost the career of a 19-year-old aspiring footballer, doctors at the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC) here have performed a rare ankle arthroscopic surgery on the budding sportsperson.

A team of orthopaedic and sports medicine specialists led by Maninder Shah Singh and Jayant Kumar performed the more advanced posterior (back side) arthoscopy surgery on Shubham recently. He was diagnosed with the rare posterior ankle impingement syndrome which results in recurring and excessive pain in the ankle.

"Pain in the back of ankle in sports professionals like footballers, horizontal distance jumpers and dancers can be due to many causes and poses a diagnostic challenge," said foot and ankle specialist Singh from ISIC in a statement on Thursday.

Due to this rare condition, Shubham started suffering pain in the back of his ankle, a pain that aggravated by running and kicking football.

"This is a condition in which bone overgrowth on the back side of your ankle affects certain movements like those involving downward movement of the ankle," said sports medicine consultant Kumar.

The condition is witnessed in footballers when they consistently kick the football or in en pointe position in ballet dancers. It hurts a lot and can affect the athlete's or dancer's performance.

Shubham was given a counselling and provided information of operations by using advanced techniques of arthroscopy (keyhole surgery) in order to improve his condition.

Traditionally, ankle arthroscopy is performed using anterior (frontal) portals with the patient in the supine position.

However, posterior arthoscopy has advantages especially for lesions situated at the back of the ankle.

Posterior ankle arthroscopy is a rarely performed surgery with very few specialised centres available in India. Its benefits include a minimally invasive procedure, short stay at hospital and quick return to active sports.

Recovered, the young footballer is now set to return to active sports.

"One year back, I had almost given up hope of being able to revive. However, after the surgery, I have started exercising and warming up and I am hopeful that I will hit field very soon back to my kicking ways," said a delighted Shubham.