Wilfried Zaha Injury Report: Hand surgery could sideline the winger pending medical staff decision
- Andrew Crowell
- Apr 8
- 2 min read
By Andrew Crowell
Charlotte FC Designated Player Wilfried Zaha underwent surgery for a hand injury yesterday. The winger posted on Snapchat that he had the operation, and Head Coach Dean Smith told media last week that the injury occurred during Charlotte's match against the Colorado Rapids.
Upon examining the image of Zaha's hand, the injury is probably to one of the carpal or metacarpal bones in the hand. Eight carpal bones make up the 'wrist' and 5 metacarpals that connect the wrist area to the digits (fingers) of the hand. These bones are small but play important roles in the movement and biomechanics of our hands.
Surgeries in this area are often required to fix one of these broken bones, usually requiring pins and/or screws. While broken bones heal themselves, special consideration is taken when a fracture is combined with a dislocation or an injury to the joint space itself. The rehabilitation process for hand surgeries/injuries is extensive, as there are many muscles involved with the movement of the hand that require lots of fine muscle exercises to rehabilitate.
Fortunately for The Crown, an injury to the hand will hopefully just put Zaha out of commission for the next few matchweeks, as he should be cleared to play with a cast on his hand to protect the surgical site. At the end of the day, it is up to the Charlotte FC medical staff and the surgeon on when Zaha can return to playing so this is just an estimate.
Liel Abada or Kerwin Vargas will look to get back into the starting lineup in Zaha's place on the left side of the attack this weekend as Charlotte takes on Montreal on Saturday at 7:30 PM ET.
Stay tuned to our website and social media pages for the latest on Zaha's injury and Charlotte FC updates.
Disclaimer: None of my work should be taken as medical advice. All opinions are my own.
