Chicago Bulls forward Carlos Boozer skipped Friday's practice at the Berto Center with the turf toe in his right big toe that he suffered in Tuesday's clinching victory over the Indiana Pacers. Coach Tom Thibodeau said Boozer's toe has improved but didn't know if he'd be available for Game 1 of the Bulls-Hawks series 7 p.m. Monday at the United Center. "It's hard to say, but I'm thinking that he will be able to," Thibodeau said. "He had some discomfort, but it's gotten better each day. Hopefully, tomorrow it will be better. He's day-to-day. He didn't practice, so we'll check him again tomorrow." Boozer already underwent an MRI exam that confirmed the injury, a painful condition involving stretched ligaments. Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...uncertain-for-game-1-20110429,0,2473774.story
How glad are we that the Bulls are playing the Hawks? It's like a panacea for all of the team's ills.
Was his toe injury on the same foot or opposite of his injured ankle? Just curious, because I don't think turf toe is something you get in one game. I believe it's more of an onset condition. I'm under the impression that players put extra stress on their other foot when playing with bad joints on the other. Maybe this lends credence to the idea that Boozer's been playing with a bum ankle the second half of the season, hence his depressed play? I'm no doctor, so anyone with superior knowledge, please correct me.
I was curious so I googled it. http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/front/foot/turftoe.htm Turf toe can occur after a very vigorous upward bending of the big toe. It got it's name due to the fact that it occurs frequently in people who play games on artificial surfaces. The shoe grips hard on the surface and sticks causing bodyweight to go forward and so bending the toe up. It is also common in martial arts. You are more at risk if you have increased range of motion in the ankle and / or wear soft flexible shoes. When the toe is bent upwards this causes damage to the ligaments under the toe which can become stretched. In addition the surfaces of the bones at the joint can become damaged. You should really have an X-ray to check that there is no fracture present.
As I understand it, "turf toe" is essentially a sprained big toe. This doesn't sound serious, but it can keep you out for as long as an ankle sprain...the big toe is more important than many think. Boozer is not essential to winning game 1 and he doesn't perform well when limited due to injury. Thibs, by all means sit him if you need to and let him come back 100%.
