2023-10-01 10:24:00
Martin Ducret, doctor and journalist at Doctor’s Daily, returns today to what happened to rugby player Antoine Dupont, the captain of the XV of France, victim of a jaw fracture, Thursday September 21, during the World Cup match against Namibia. Antoine Dupont had surgery for a fractured cheekbone the next day, Friday September 22. Today, the Blues scrum-half is already back in his team, and is resuming training under medical supervision.
But this recovery time may seem very short to ordinary people, and raises questions about the recovery of high-level athletes after an injury. The ability of these top athletes to heal is the same as for other human beings, but their treatment is faster.
franceinfo: Contrary to what one might believe, a top athlete does not heal faster than an average patient?
Martin Ducret : Yes, top athletes are not superheroes with superpowers! Their ability to heal is the same as other human beings. In general, a bone fracture requires at least 4 to 6 weeks to consolidate and become stable. And the fracture of Antoine Dupont’s cheekbone will unfortunately not escape this delay.
But given the importance of having a player of this caliber in the team, even if his fracture is not completely consolidated, maybe he will be on the field in two weeks with a protective mask. Is this reasonable or not for his health? That’s another question!
If they don’t heal faster, are high-level athletes better cared for?
Yes, everything is optimized so that they recover as quickly as possible in the event of an injury. Thanks to the medical staff made up of doctor, physiotherapist, physical trainer, psychologist, mental trainer, they benefit from regular monitoring, allowing injury prevention, and they have better access to care than the general population.
Let’s take the case of Anthony Jelonch, the third row of the French rugby team, who was able to play again just 6 months after a cruciate ligament rupture – while the average is 9 to 12 months for an average athlete. This is because his care flowed perfectly, from A to Z, without any downtime.
He benefited from an MRI during the day, he was quickly operated on by an excellent knee surgeon, and was taken care of in the famous sports rehabilitation center in Capbreton, immediately after the operation, and some weeks later to do reathletics, which is a key step in returning to sport.
In the event of an injury, can a casual athlete still benefit from care that is similar to that of a high-level athlete?
Yes, by going to consult a sports doctor at the hospital, or in town, who will have the necessary skills and contacts, so that his care is as optimal as possible.
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