Are you a Juventus or France football fan and curious about Paul Pogba knee injury?
Well, we got you sorted. In this article, we will break down Paul Pogba knee (meniscus) injury along with the relevant anatomy of the knee joint, management, expected time out of action, world cup status, and the controversy regarding his injury. So, let’s get started.
Paul Pogba was one of the hottest free agents heading into the summer transfer window after deciding not to renew his contract at Old Trafford. The Frenchman instead decided to return back to Juventus for a second spell at Turin. Things were looking good for Pogba ahead of the World Cup until he suffered an injury in his right knee. The club later confirmed it to be a tear in the lateral meniscus of his right knee.
What is a meniscus?
A meniscus is cartilage situated in the knee joint in between the femur and tibia bone. It acts as a cushion in between the femur and tibia. It consists of two horns namely the medial and lateral meniscus.
Management
The treatment of meniscus tears includes conservative and surgical management. Meniscus tears should be treated conservatively wherever possible as the aim is to save as much cushion as possible but surgical options are considered when the player doesn’t respond to conservative treatment.
Surgical methods include either partially trimming the meniscus, also called partial meniscectomy, or surgically repairing the torn meniscus which is more effective than the former but recovery time is higher compared to trimming.
You’re probably wondering if all this is probably relevant to Pogba’s case. You have to look at both sides of the coin here, firstly you have to look from the medical point of view which is to make sure the player recovers 100% from his injury and also to save as much meniscus as possible. Secondly, you have to look at the players’ POV which is to recover in time for the World Cup and play for his country. The decision ultimately is up to the player himself.
Now, if we look at the recovery time for all possible treatment options, conservative management would keep him out for anywhere between 4-8 weeks. Surgical methods like partial trimming of the meniscus would keep him out for 6-8 weeks while a meniscus repair surgery would sideline him for around 4 months thus ending his chances of playing in the World Cup.
Paul Pogba initially opted for conservative treatment for his knee injury with a World Cup return being his priority. However, the player didn’t respond to conservative treatment and therefore underwent partial meniscectomy which will now keep him out for around 6-8 weeks. Here is an animation of how a meniscus surgery is performed:
Final Thoughts
Obviously, the medical POV is to look after the player and that’s what Pogba was advised initially to undergo surgical repair to treat the injury. Since it came with the cost of missing out on the World Cup which comes once in four years, the Frenchman opted against it and underwent partial trimming of the cushion. As mentioned earlier, the aim is to save as much meniscus as possible especially in cases of the lateral meniscus as it could lead to arthritic changes in the future. It is also important to note the example of his fellow teammate Samuel Umtiti who risked his knee to play for France in the 2018 World Cup which ruined his career.
As a football fan myself, I would like to see Paul Pogba play in the World Cup as he’s probably one of the best midfielders in Europe on his day. I really hope the risk pays off and doesn’t hamper his playing days and as things stand now, we are on track to see the Frenchman hopefully make his return in the World Cup and play alongside N’golo Kante thus boosting their chances in the World’s most prestigious tournament.
We hope you liked this article, follow Injury Season for more injury updates!
