More Metatarsal Misery

In a chilling sign of things to come, Michael Owen will be out for two to three months with the injury du jour for England internationals: a broken metatarsal. Owen broke his fifth metatarsal during Newcastle's 2-0 defeat at Tottenham on New Year's Eve. He should be back in action around March or April, but we fear this won't be the last time the words metatarsal, broken, fifth and bone are seen together before June.

Gary Neville broke the very same bone in 2002, as did Steven Gerrard in 2004, as did Wayne Rooney at Euro 2004, effectively ending England's challenge (especially after Vassell came on to replace him.)

David Beckham, always keen to be a little bit different (sarong, mohican etcetera), famously broke his second metatarsal shortly before the 2002 World Cup, and only made the tournament after Uri Geller summoned his awesome magical powers to heal the broken bone. Well 45eachway believed him.

But why is this injury so popular? Mark Lawrenson proposed an interesting theory while presenting the 606 phone in on Five Live:

"It's the boots." he said. "They're made of nothing these days."

Source: BBC