Expert analysis of Darwin Nunez injury history – anything to worry about? – Liverpool FC

With Liverpool sanctioning a club-record switch payment for brand spanking new striker Darwin Nunez, Dr Rajpal Brar assesses his historical past of knee accidents and any future considerations.

Nunez made an indelible impression on Jurgen Klopp in the course of the Champions League quarter-finals towards Benfica, to the purpose that Liverpool made him their precedence signing throughout this summer season’s switch window.

The membership reportedly spent almost £65 million on the preliminary switch payment with an extra £20 million in potential bonuses, which might break the earlier switch file for Virgil van Dijk.

Nevertheless, with massive transfers and stress comes nice duty.

A key a part of that’s staying wholesome, significantly after the comparatively glowing damage file of the now-departed Sadio Mane, whose influence Nunez will partially hope to switch.

One of many major indicators of a participant’s damage danger is their earlier file, as the best danger for future damage is a earlier damage – particularly with mushy tissue (muscle mass, ligaments, tendons) accidents.

With that in thoughts, let’s undergo Nunez’s damage historical past.

Harm historical past

In 2017, Nunez suffered a left knee damage, and though the damage was by no means confirmed, it seems like he suffered a rupture to his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and underwent a reconstruction.

Clearly, an ACL requiring surgical procedure is a significant damage, and the important thing dangers are downstream results corresponding to elevated put on and tear on the knee, a part of which will depend on the extent of total injury to the encompassing cartilage (specifically the knee meniscus).

Within the following yr, 2018, Nunez once more injured his left knee requiring surgical procedure.

There are conflicting stories relating to the damage, with some stating it was an ACL re-rupture and others stating it was a patellar tendon damage.

Whatever the specifics, that’s two accidents to the identical knee in back-to-back years, which might have raised some concern on the time.

Following that left knee damage – outdoors of anticipated minor knocks and delicate muscular points – his solely different vital damage got here in late Might 2021, when he had surgical procedure on his proper knee.

Based mostly on the return timeline of almost 90 days, this sounds most like a meniscus restore process.

How regarding is it?

When Nunez’s damage historical past in a vacuum with out context, two left knee surgical procedures in back-to-back years and a proper knee surgical procedure actually doesn’t sound nice.

Nevertheless, the important thing issue of the utmost significance is Nunez hasn’t proven any downstream points on both knee.

The left knee has been comparatively injury-free since 2018 and the proper knee held up fairly effectively final season as he went on to attain 34 objectives in 41 appearances, averaging virtually 70 minutes on the pitch per recreation.

His minutes seem to have been fastidiously managed, with Nunez solely finishing the total 90 on 12 events and being substituted off 20 instances.

However additional with the proper knee, the analysis on meniscus repairs reveals excellent outcomes for footballers since you are preserving the tissue intact.

Liverpool medicals – and a key instance

Clearly, Liverpool’s medical employees went by means of a full checkup with Nunez and signed off on his medicals earlier than clearing his switch.

The upper the payment, the extra meticulous the medical employees are typically and the much less danger the membership is prepared to tolerate.

Look no additional than present Actual Betis midfielder and at-the-time Lyon star Nabil Fekir’s failed switch as a chief instance of that.

In accordance with his agent, a key cause why his switch to Liverpool fell by means of was concern along with his knee.

Fekir – like Nunez – had ruptured his ACL and had reconstructive surgical procedure.

From my understanding, Liverpool weren’t comfy with the quantity of damage and tear in his knee joint and the way that will probably influence him within the medium and long run.

Due to this fact, they nixed the deal.

The truth that Fekir and Nunez had the identical damage – and Nunez additionally had one other surgical procedure on the identical knee – however Liverpool’s medical employees signed off on this case (at the next payment, no much less) very doubtless speaks to how comfy they had been along with his medicals.

That’s a really optimistic indicator of his present and future well being.

Nunez and Liverpool’s coaching employees

Final, however actually not least, is that Nunez in line with a number of stories is extraordinarily dedicated to his well being and bodily coaching off the pitch.

“I like how a lot focus and humility he has,” Klopp himself stated as his new No. 27 was unveiled.

That dedication and dedication is all the time vital for sustaining well being, significantly within the case of gamers with a earlier damage historical past.

To additional bolster that, Nunez now has entry to probably the greatest coaching staffs in elite soccer.

A working example is Liverpool’s sustained health stage final season whereas competing deep into each match and for the league title till the final day.

That mixture of Nunez’s work ethic with their stage of experience bodes extraordinarily effectively – not just for his damage danger, however for his efficiency as effectively.

• Dr. Rajpal Brar, DPT, (@3cbperformance) is a physiotherapist, motion mechanics coach, health coach, sports activities scientist and mindfulness coach.

He runs the net and Los Angeles-based wellness and athletic efficiency clinic 3CB Efficiency, and you may subscribe to his Youtube channel (which posts a wide range of Liverpool-related content material) right here.