Burnley injury expert Dr. Raj, DPT explains midfielder Ashley Westwood injury (right ankle) vs West Ham United including the likely injury diagnosis, the medical response and key checks, overall outlook (prognosis) and why mindset is so critical for his recovery | Expert Explains Ashley Westwood Injury (Ankle), Timeline & Prognosis | Burnley Football injury analysis For reference, I’m a DPT (Doctor of Physio), sports scientist, fitness coach, strength and conditioning specialist, movement and mechanics coach, researcher, youth football (soccer) coach, mindfulness clinician and owner of 3CB Performance —providing sports medicine & sports performance services virtually and in-person at clinics in West LA and Valencia, CA. Feel free to hit me with questions and/or you can always find me on my website or follow on social media: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/3cbperformance Website: https://www.3cbperformance.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/3cbPerformance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3cbperformance/ Here’s a table of contents: - 0:00 What happened - 0:14 The likely injury - 0:21 Med response & key checks - 0:57 Outcomes (prognosis) - 1:08 Mindset & Perspective - 1:23 Stay Tuned for updates Script: Hey it’s Raj from 3CB. Burnley midfielder Ashley Westwood suffered this gruesome looking right leg injury vs West Ham United when his foot got caught underneath & rotated outwards. The likely injury Based on the video & photo evidence, this is likely an ankle-fracture dislocation. Medical response The club medical staff quickly came out onto the pitch and relocated & splinted the ankle. That quick response is key because it limits the stress on the anatomy. Key checks Speaking of anatomy, the first priority with these injuries is to assess nerve & blood vessel (arteries & veins) damage. Then, you’re checking for the extent of other damage including bone fractures, ligaments and cartilage. Surgery The latter may only fully reveal itself during surgery. The goal is to fully reduce and stabilize the injury. Return timeline In the case of no nerve or blood vessel damage, the return timeline averages around 6 months. The variance depends on the extent of that damage. Outcomes Similarly, if there’s no nerve or blood vessel damage, the outcomes are typically good. The rehab is certainly grueling and Ashley will likely face long-term pain & discomfort in that ankle but he can make it back, even at 32 years old. Key positive A key positive - and I can’t emphasize this enough - will be mentality & a growth mindset approach. Westwood was already smiling & in relatively good spirits while being stretchered off. This is where age & perspective can give a massive boost to reinforce that mindset. I’ll keep you updated as we learn more.