Milan Defender Zapata Sidelined Due to Foot Injury

Serie A club Milan defender Cristian Zapata suffers from a fractured foot during the final minutes against Sassuolo.

“AC Milan communicates that in the final minutes of Milan-Sassuolo, Cristian Zapata, following a challenge with another player, suffered a bone fracture at the base of the second metatarsal in his right foot.”

Metatarsal fractures are common injuries of the foot, typical caused by direct crushing injury or by twisting injury where the forefoot is fixed and hindfoot or leg rotating (more common, associated with sports injury). The 5^rd metatarsal bone is most commonly fractured metatarsal bone, while the 3^rd rarely gets fractured in isolation. A British journalist named the 2^nd metatarsal bone the “Beckham bone” due to a fracture David Beckham got after he was tackled by Aldo Duscher, this received a lot of publicity during that time.

Generally these injuries may be treated nonsurgically with a walking boot, or cast. Irregardless of treatment, it is likely this injury will sideline this footballer for a minimum of 8 weeks.