Explaining the Lisfranc injury that sidelined Chet Holmgren (2024)

Season-ending injuries are never fun.

Sports fans know the big ones to fear. A torn ACL, Achilles or UCL — to name a few — are the last things you want to be associated with your favorite player’s name.

But for Chet Holmgren, the No. 2 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, a highly-anticipated rookie campaign was over before it even began due to the less common Lisfranc injury in his right foot, the Thunder revealed on Thursday.

But what is a Lisfranc injury? What causes the injury to occur? And why is the recovery time so long? We have you covered as we take a look at the lesser-known injury and what it mean’s for Oklahoma City’s young star.

What is a Lisfranc injury?

It’s a type of injury that occurs in the midfoot due to bone fractures and/or torn ligaments. It get its name from French surgeon Jacques Lisfranc de St. Martin, who discovered the injury in cavalry officers who fell from a horse with a foot still trapped in the stirrup.

Why does a Lisfranc injury occur more often in athletes?

The midfoot is a complex joint where the metatarsals (long bones in the foot) meet the tarsal bones in the arch of the foot. The Lisfranc ligament connects the second metatarsal and the medial cuneiform in the midfoot, and this is what Chet Holmgren tore.

This ligament is typically damaged when the foot twists as it goes into plantar flexion, meaning the ankle is pointed downward, and weight is forcibly applied to the ball of the foot. The amount of force and movement that athletes apply to the midfoot when running, jumping and changing direction make Lisfranc injuries a lot more common for them than the everyday person who isn’t playing a high-intensity sport.

Can you play with a Lisfranc injury?

Yes, but not effectively.

With any Lisfranc injury, whether it’s to a bone or the ligament, there is a very high risk of making it worse by playing on it. Damage to the Lisfranc leads to instability of the foot. The more severe the injury, the harder it is to play through. In Holmgren’s case, he has a significant ligament tear, so it wouldn’t be realistic for him to tough it out and play through the ailment.

What does the recovery look like for a Lisfranc injury?

Recovery from a Lisfranc injury depends on exactly what was damaged and how severe that damage is. Some milder nondisplaced Lisfranc injuries can heal on their own in a month or two if immobilized and rehabbed properly.

More serious Lisfranc injuries require surgery, and the recovery will depend on the degree of displacement to the bones. When the Lisfranc ligament is torn the bones shift out of place. The recovery following the repair of a significant Lisfranc ligament tear is typically nine to 12 months. Basketball activities can be slowly reintroduced sooner, but playing in a live game won’t come for a while.

How did Holmgren sustain his Lisfranc injury?

The former Gonzaga standout is believed to have suffered the injury at a Jamal Crawford CrawsOver Pro-Am game that had to be stopped due to unsafe court conditions.

Holmgren pulled up lame early in the exhibition while trying to guard LeBron James in transition.

It was reported that the court was too slippery and players could not keep their grip due to condensation on the hardwood floors, but The Athletic’s Michael Shawn-Dugar observed that while the floor became a problem eventually, that did not appear to be the case when Holmgren landed awkwardly.

It was a sentiment shared by Norman Powell of the LA Clippers, who recovered from his own foot injury from a game in February and played in the Drew League earlier this month.

“Injuries are part of the game,” Powell said in a text to The Athletic regarding Holmgren’s injury. “If you playing Pro-Am, pickup, Drew League, etc. I don’t think the floor was the issue.”

When is Holmgren expected to return?

The Thunder have already ruled Holmgren out for the season. This is a very smart decision so there won’t be any temptation to rush him back. We haven’t seen many NBA players suffer this exact injury, and Holmgren’s tall and slender frame makes this a unique and challenging situation.

I expect Holmgren to be cleared to play ahead of the 2023-24 season, but not at 100 percent. He likely won’t look like himself on the court until next winter. Even after a year, Holmgren still faces a high risk of re-injury. His movements need to be carefully studied and mechanics adjusted to prevent future injuries like this one. It can take years to properly improve mechanics so his body can handle playing in the NBA.

What other athletes have had Lisfranc injuries?

Just last week, Panthers quarterback Matt Corral had his rookie campaign cut short with the same injury.

Other high-profile names in the NFL that have missed time due to Lisfranc injuries in recent years include Travis Etienne, Cam Newton, Evan Engram and Alshon Jeffery. Texans rookie cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., the No. 3 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, also missed most of his junior season at LSU with the injury.

While less common in the NBA, Miami’s Udonis Haslem sustained the injury during the 2010-11 season before returning for the Heat’s run to the NBA Finals during the postseason.

(Photo: Stephen R. Sylvanie / USA Today)