Arsenal footballer and England World Cup squad member Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will have a scan on his knee today due to a suspected ligament injury. Oxlade-Chamberlain has already spent time away from the game this year with a groin complaint.
During his first appearance on the pitch since 20 April 2014, England’s warm-up game with Ecuador that ended in a 2-2 draw, the midfielder limped away following a tackle from Carlos Gruezo. Having begun the match well, the 20-year-old left the Miami stadium in clear discomfort after 63 minutes and will now undergo a scan to ascertain the extent of the injury.
If medical assessments rule him unfit to play, Roy Hodgson, England’s Team Manager, may be forced to call up a last-minute replacement for the tournament that begins in Brazil on 12 June. The England team takes to the pitch for the first time on 14 June.
Dr Kal Parmar from the ISEH, ex-club doctor for Tottenham Hotspur Football Club and current club doctor at Leicester Tigers Rugby Union Team said:
“Having seen the game and looked at the injury, it does look like he’s injured a ligament on the inside of the knee called the medial collateral ligament (MCL) - one of the most common footballing injuries. Unfortunately, it’s never as straightforward as that and injuries can range from a minor grade 1 injury to more serious associated injury, such as a torn ACL - it’s impossible to tell without examining him but if the knee is swollen straightaway, then that’s a worrying sign.
He’s in good hands however, with the ISEH’s Dr Ian Beasley, England Team Doctor, on hand to co-ordinate his care - he’ll be busy coming up with a diagnosis and management plan. The scan will provide a clinical picture of the injury - accurate diagnosis is crucial as this will determine the time frame for rehabilitation. Even the most minor injury can take a couple of weeks to get right.”