Darren McFadden’s expected recovery from his orbital bone break

Oakland Raiders running back Darren McFadden(notes) isn't returning to practice soon.

That's because on Aug. 3 McFadden suffered a painful blow during a routine drill—a break of his orbital bone.

Although head coach Hue Jackson says he will be fine, the running back won't return to action for at least a couple of weeks. He's not the only one out—reserves Michael Bennett and Taiwan Jones(notes) are also sidelined.

Orbital bone breaks are generally uncommon in football. Depending on the severity of his fracture, McFadden may be sidelined longer.

What is an orbital bone break?

An orbital bone break occurs when blunt force is applied to the bony area surrounding the eye socket. In medical literature, it is normally called a eye socket fracture. Orbital bone breaks occur on the orbital rim or on the floor of the orbital bone.

Depending on the severity, orbital bone breaks can produce numerous symptoms. Aside from immediate, localized pain, these injuries can cause blurry or double vision, localized numbness and cheek or forehead swelling. In severe instances, the eye can bulge out or sink into the socket—a scary but obvious sign of an eye socket fracture.

How long will McFadden need to recover?

Depending on the severity of McFadden's injury—this is currently unknown—it can take weeks or months to heal. If the fracture isn't severe, doctors may allow it to heal on its own. InteliHealth says that the immediate swelling goes away in a minimum of seven days, but the actual healing of the bone can take longer.

If the break is severe, however, surgery is necessary to correct the fracture. People who undergo surgery need at least several weeks to recover. Professional wrestler Mark Calaway was expected to miss at least eight weeks of in-ring action following a similar surgery in 2010. It's unclear if McFadden will also be sidelined for this long.

How will doctors treat McFadden's orbital bone break?

Again, McFadden's treatment is entirely dependent on the severity of the injury. Small fractures are usually treated with ice packs and plenty of rest. They may prescribe an antibiotic to prevent infection. For severe orbital bone breaks, McFadden may undergo surgery. During the surgery, they may remove loose bone fragments and restore the eye's position. In some instances, the surgeon may place a plastic device over the injury.

Raiders fans can only hope McFadden's injury isn't severe. If he is sidelined for at least several weeks, he could be sidelined when football season starts on Sept. 8.

Source: InteliHealth

Ann Olson is a freelance health writer and amateur bodybuilder with an educational background in nutrition.

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