Win a Gold Medal With A Broken Bone? She Did!

A broken toe didnt stop McKayla Maroney from vaulting all summer. Better known by her nickname as the flying squirrel Maroney had broken the big toe or Hallux on her right foot In May and if you watched the 2011 vaulting champion during these 2012 Olympics it didnt stop her from winning a gold medal. The world champion aggravated the break in practice prior to the Olympics and in fact the bone opened up more and was quite painful.

Vault is what Im here for, Maroney said, “I knew I was going to vault no matter what. This was the third time she broke the bone in her foot since May. The third time is the charm, so hopefully Im done with it. She underwent many treatments including electronic bone stimulation, ice, and elevation and had it heavily wrapped but refused to have any numbing medication.

Not only did she do the vault, she participated in all the events for the USAs Womens Gymnastics Team Preliminaries and stuck every landing. Imagine running full speed jumping off a ramp and pushing off the vault doing two and a half turns in the air and sticking the landing with a broken bone in your foot. This bone in the big toe is important because when you walk you push off with it for every step you take.

With a small closed fracture the bone is usually immobilized using the RICE treatment which is Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. When the bone is open or displaced it usually requires a surgical procedure to close the fracture site. Maroney is flying so high after winning the gold medal and celebrating Im sure the last thing on her mind is her foot, for now.

Dont take a broken bone in a toe lightly. If you suspect a fracture, see your local Podiatrist for proper diagnosis and treatment. The most common fracture of the toe is known as the bed post fracture due to the fact most occurs while running into the bed post.

Dr. Bowman treats fractures daily, from toes to fractured ankles so if you have pain in your foot or ankle contact Dr. Bowman at 713-467-8886 or make an online appointment on his website www.houstonfootspecialists,com.

Category: Sports Injuries

Tags: Broken Toe, Foot Injuries, foot pain, Foot Problems, Foot Surgery, McKayla Maroney, Olympics, Sports Injuries, Toe Fracture, Toe Pain, Toes