A Muscatine Mom’s Comeback
Most mothers will tell you putting your feet up when the kids are still home is a fantasy.
But for one Muscatine working mom of four boys, who also is used to working out nearly every day at her local CrossFit gym, coaching three youth soccer teams, teaching strength and conditioning for youth and travel baseball, all while playing on her own women’s soccer league, the thought of sitting out on the sideline of life is even harder to imagine.
Until it became her reality.
“I coach for the Pearl City Soccer Club in Muscatine,” explains 41-year-old Traci Garcia. “I pro coach and do a lot of club administration work. Last winter, we were hosting an indoor tournament at our local sports dome. During the game, I had a defender next to me, and when I stepped back to push forward, I felt the center of my foot pop and drop down.
“I could feel my arch hit the turf. I was sitting on the ground and told my husband something was very wrong. It was my foot. While I could walk on it, I was in a lot of pain.”
A veteran athlete, Traci knew better than to just walk it off. It was the right call when she learned she had sustained what’s called a “Lisfranc Injury.”
Traci's Road to Recovery
ORA Orthopedics’ Foot & Ankle Surgeon Jessica Katzer, DPM says she typically sees these injuries in football and soccer players, those sports involving pivoting with quick changes of direction and contact with other players.
“I suspected a Lisfranc ligament tear in Traci’s foot. This injury affects the stability of the midfoot. When this ligament is torn, the foot lacks the ability to become a propulsive lever.
“Without that ligament, a person cannot push off, and it’s an injury that won’t heal without surgery.
“To repair the injury, I use a hybrid construct, including a suture button device to reconstruct the ligament and allow restoration of natural motion at the midfoot joints, while still allowing quicker recovery and return to play.”
Traci’s life demanded a quick recovery, and the surgery allowed her to rehab and keep moving.
“My goal was to get back to working out as quickly as possible. After the surgery, I was back in the gym later that week, just trying to stay active and off my foot. I started with a cast then a boot but kept moving.
“I coached in a boot the entire winter. By our spring season, I was back coaching and holding scrimmage drills with my players in May.”
In July, Dr. Katzer removed the bridge plate, and by the end of summer, Traci says she’s fully healed and back to challenging herself at her local CrossFit gym, Warrior Strength & Conditioning. “My flexibility is back. I do box jumps and Olympic lifts, and my feet stabilize my body. I have a true functioning athletic foot!”
“Feet are so fragile and we can take them for granted. This could’ve totally sidelined me. Proper movement in athletics is so important. As I have lived through my injury, I am really motivated to help young people learn to play injury free.”
Thanks, ORA & Dr. Katzer! – Traci
When a Foot Injury is More Than a Sprain
Dr. Katzer says she is impressed with Traci’s motivation. “She did so well and she was so committed to her rehab that she made great progress.”
Lisfranc injuries are relatively uncommon, but Dr. Katzer says they are important to recognize because they can sometimes be mistaken for a routine foot sprain. In high-impact sports, the foot can twist and pop the ligament, which results in broken midfoot bones.
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), the severity of a Lisfranc injury can vary widely — from a simple injury involving one midfoot joint to a complex injury involving many midfoot joints and broken bones.
“The injury has an interesting history. Midfoot fracture dislocations are named for French surgeon Jacques Lisfranc de St. Martin, who served in the Napoleonic Army in the 1800s, and observed midfoot injuries in cavalry soldiers.
“It’s easy for patients to mistake a simple Lisfranc injury for a sprain, especially if the injury is a result of a twist and fall.
“However, injury to the Lisfranc joint is not a simple sprain that should be ‘walked off’ or expected to heal quickly. Lisfranc injuries are severe enough to take months to heal. Traci was wise to seek treatment immediately and her dedication has paid off.”
Expert Care, Close to Home
A foot or ankle injury does not have to keep you on the sidelines. If pain, swelling, or an injury is making it difficult to walk, work, exercise or enjoy the activities you love, ORA Orthopedics can help.
Getting the right diagnosis early can make an important difference in your treatment and recovery. Our foot and ankle specialists treat everything from common sprains and fractures to complex injuries like Traci’s.
For Muscatine families, expert orthopedic care is closer than ever. Don’t just walk it off. Get back on your feet with ORA Orthopedics.
Learn more or schedule an appointment at qcora.com.
Jessica Katzer, DPM
