Injury Update: Byrne and Doumbia Set to Miss Time
- Andrew Crowell
- 5 minutes ago
- 2 min read
By Andrew Crowell
Charlotte appears to be going through a rough patch in the health of its defenders. Nathan Byrne and Souleyman Doumbia are set to miss time with injuries following Tim Ream's injury scare last week. Here is a look at their injuries, the expected recovery time, and who is replacing them in the starting lineup.
Nathan Byrne
In Byrne’s case, the injury is anything but typical in soccer. A bulging disc occurs when the soft, gel-like substance within vertebral disks leaks out and presses against the outer border of the disc, causing pain, numbness, and compression of the spinal nerve behind that specific disc. Sometimes this injury can be alleviated with physical therapy or steroid injections, but if these interventions don’t work, then surgery is usually suggested.
Manager Dean Smith noted in the press conference after the game against San Diego on Saturday that Byrne would likely need surgery and miss the next 6-7 weeks. “It looks like we might have to go down the surgery route,” Smith stated.
Surgery for this injury can be accomplished through several methods. The disc could be removed with the vertebrae fused, an artificial disc could be inserted in its place, or part of the vertebra known as the lamina could be shaved down to provide more room for the disc, alleviating pressure on the spinal nerve.
No matter the surgery type, Byrne will have a relatively long road to recovery in comparison to Doumbia, as he will not only have to recover from surgery but also go through the physical therapy/rehab process as well to get back on the pitch. In the meantime, Nick Scardina can slot in as right back, who had an excellent first showing in his debut.
Souleyman Doumbia
Hamstring injuries are fairly common in soccer, and it looks like Doumbia will miss some time with just that. There is a grading system for muscular injuries based on severity, with grade 1 hamstring injuries involving a minor pull or strain, grade 2 involving a partial tear of the muscle, and grade 3 involving a complete tear of the muscle. Based on the context of Doumbia’s injury, the hope is a grade 1 or grade 2 at worst, but a scan of the muscle will determine the true severity. If that information is made public, stay tuned to our social media channels for an update.
Based on current information, Doumbia will likely miss 3 to 4 weeks. More time could be missed if the scan doesn’t go well and the injury is worse than first thought.
The biggest concern for hamstring injuries is not rushing back into activity, as reinjury is very common with a hamstring injury, and once a player has developed an injury to this area, they are more prone to future occurrences of the same kind of injury.
Tim Ream will look to fill in at left back for the foreseeable future.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor, and my work should never be taken as medical advice. All opinions are my own.
