Joba Chamberlain Suffers Open Dislocation

The New York Yankees have announced that right-handed pitcher Joba Chamberlain suffered a potentially life-threatening injury while playing with his son Thursday.  Not all details are known, but Chamberlain was reportedly jumping on a trampoline of sorts with his five-year-old son when he suffered what’s being described as a gruesome open dislocation of his right ankle.  The injury is almost certain to sideline Chamberlain for the 2012 season, and some question whether or not the dislocation will threaten Joba’s career.

What started as a situation that evoked one-liners and zingers quickly developed into a much more serious event.  Initial reports said Chamberlain had dislocated his right ankle while jumping on a trampoline.  It wasn’t until the Yankees announced the details of Chamberlain’s injury that people began realizing the gravity of the situation.

An open dislocation means that the bone made its way outside of the skin, piercing through Joba’s leg following the dislocation.  This piercing resulted in significant bleeding, enough for doctors to report that Chamberlain’s life was threatened.

This is no longer the case, but the open dislocation does present potential complications.  In some situations, open dislocations result in amputation or infections that can result in amputation.  While improvements in antibiotics have lessened the chances of such an occurrence, it is a possibility nonetheless.

No clear timeframe has been set, as the injury happened so recently.  Doctors have said that Chamberlain won’t be able to put weight on the ankle for two to three months, and add that it’s unlikely that Joba pitches for the Yankees in 2012.

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