So begins young Harvey’s struggle to recuperation and return to the field. The club specified no deadline, but more on it later.
These injuries have a wide range of recovery times, ranging from 3.5 months to 6 months or more, depending on the severity of the damage. Two recent ankle-fracture dislocations demonstrate both ends of the spectrum.
Everton midfielder Andre Gomes suffered minor ligament damage and returned to training in 89 days before returning to games in 116 days, whilst Leicester’s Wesley Fofana is anticipated to be sidelined for six months or more owing to serious ligament damage.
Elliott sees some encouraging signs on the level of damage and timetable.
To begin, as noted in the introduction, Dr. Jim Moxon and senior physio Chris Morgan’s fast response to reduce the ankle can lessen soft tissue (specifically ligament) injury since repositioning the joint relieves significant tension.
Second, in the club’s medical announcement, they alluded to the repair of a ‘fracture’ singular, whereas ‘ligaments’ was used in plural, as expected — implying he only had one fracture.
The first anatomical picture in this section shows the possibility of twin fractures in each type of fracture. The fewer fractures, the better.
Third, Elliott’s age. At only 18 years old, he has a relatively limited injury history and wear on his body, which can help with healing and rehabilitation. However, his youthful age and a lengthy career ahead of him may indicate that the club is more conservative, as there is no need to rush him back and lose potential in the long run for the near term.
