Everything you need to know about Tarsal Navicular Stress Fractures

http://www.aafp.org/afp/20030101/85.pdf

JANUARY 1, 2003 / VOLUME 67, NUMBER 1 AMERICAN FAMILY PHYSICIAN 85

Stress fractures of the tarsal navicular bone are being recognized with increasing frequency
in physically active persons. Diagnosis is commonly delayed, and outcome often
suffers because physicians lack familiarity with the condition. Navicular stress fractures
typically present in a running athlete who has gradually increasing pain in the dorsal midfoot
with occasional radiation of pain down the medial arch. Because initial plain films are
often normal, the next diagnostic test of choice is triple-phase bone scan, which is positive
early in the process and localizes the lesion well. After a positive bone scan, a computed
tomographic scan should be obtained to provide anatomic detail and guide therapy.
Nondisplaced, noncomminuted fractures respond well to six weeks of non–weight-bearing
cast immobilization. Displacement, comminution, and delayed or nonunion fractures are
indications for surgical open reduction internal fixation.

there's much more - including recovery times. it appears that at a minimum, 4 months is required before a return to normal activity....

 

i actually think Yao should opt for surgery and get the pin put in place. It will accelerate the healing and get him back on the court sooner, plus it has a very high success rate and will prevent reoccurance.

with surgery, he may be back in 3 and a half months.

 

It's one of the rare cases that surgery is actually a better option because of the fact that yao will put a lot of pressure on his navicular bone and it may redevelop.

if it's early that means the fracture hasn't gone all the way through so it should heal on it's own, but taking into account being in a cast for at least 6 weeks plus the rehab time you don't gain that much.

a pin in there will keep it together and make it stronger.

this is a kind of injury that gets worse the more you play on it, but it doesn't get awful just in a few days. it's conceivable that he can heal enough that he can play in the playoffs and they can monitor it to see if it gets worse, in which case they stick him back in a cast.

it's not like a torn ligament or anything.

 

gradual process. usually you don't think the pain is anything serious. it's actually quite impressive that they diagonised it so early which meants the prognosis should be excellent.

he could have kept playing on it for a month. he should heal quickly and all, but understandable the organization is more concerned about his career than the playoffs.

 

yao can't sit out the olympics. it's not an option for him realistically. it's bigger than anything for him right now.