Goggia fracture, operated to place seven screws in the leg

A plate with 7 screws to reduce the multi-fragmentary displaced articular fracture of the right tibial pilon. The operation was a perfect success for Sofia Goggia, who was injured this morning in training on the Casola Nera slope in Pontedilegno (Bs) where she was preparing for the weekend’s Soldeu giant slalom. “Another injury that interrupts my pursuit of a new downhill World Cup – declared the champion from Bergamo before entering the operating room -, but this time too I will be able to get back up”.

“The surgery went well – Dr Panzeri, president of the Fisi Medical Commission, who operated on her, commented to Sky – Sofia called me this morning from the slopes. When she calls she already has a feeling of what is happening is done and the tests have confirmed it. It is a fracture of the tibia in the lower part, at the joint level with involvement of the malleolus. Also with me in the operating room were Dr. Schoenhuber and Riccardo Accept, head of traumatology of Galeazzi. A plate with 7 screws has been placed, now the slow journey will begin, yet another journey to recover from yet another injury.”

According to Panzeri, Sofia also faced this injury as an adult: “Sofia is strong, she will be able to overcome this injury in a great way.” And on recovery times he explained: “The season is over, we’ll see her on the track at the start of the next one. She won’t be able to put her foot down for 40 days, then she’ll start walking on weight and skis, we’ll see when she can, we’ll see how she proceeds. It will take a lot of patience, a lot of strength, but Sofia has already done it. She has had many injuries, this one in severity is at the level of when she broke her cruciate, because the tibia, in the articular part of the ankle, for an athlete who wake, which must put the boot, has a certain importance”.

The mood is different compared to the injury on the eve of the Beijing Games: “We tell the fans that Sofia will return – explained Panzeri -. In her head she arrived more aware of having hurt herself, she didn’t have the psychological breakdown that she had before the Olympics. Maybe because it’s an important season, but it’s already in the pipeline for the Olympics. I saw her calm, obviously angry but always strong. She never gave up for a second.”

“It’s always sad when an athlete gets hurt – said Fisi president Flavio Roda -. Sofia, in particular, was in a very positive moment: strong in speed and also improved in giant slalom. It’s a real shame, this injury. We hope it will be resolved in the best possible way.”