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Footballer Wittek Recounts Near Career-Ending Injury and 20cm Scar
🇩🇪 Germany /Sports

Footballer Wittek Recounts Near Career-Ending Injury and 20cm Scar

From Die Zeit · () German

Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Outcome reported
  • Footballer Maximilian Wittek underwent emergency surgery for a thigh injury, resulting in a 20-centimeter scar.
  • He feared for his career due to a compartment syndrome, a condition that can lead to muscle and nerve damage.
  • Wittek is grateful to be playing again and avoided a worse outcome by not taking painkillers before sleeping.

Maximilian Wittek, a professional footballer for second-division club VfL Bochum, narrowly escaped a career-ending injury after developing compartment syndrome following a thigh injury late last season. The 30-year-old player required emergency surgery, which left him with a significant 20-centimeter scar.

I am thankful and happy that I was fit again for the first matchday.

— Maximilian WittekWittek expressing his relief at being able to play again after his injury.

Wittek shared his experience on the pay-TV channel Sky, expressing his relief and gratitude for being fit enough to play in the season's opening match. "I am thankful and happy that I was fit again for the first matchday," he said. Compartment syndrome occurs when excessive swelling restricts blood flow, potentially causing muscle and nerve tissue to die.

The thigh swelled up, and I had a bad feeling.

— Maximilian WittekWittek describing the initial symptoms of his injury.

Initially, the club announced Wittek's season was over without providing specific details. However, Wittek recounted the critical moments after being substituted in a match against Arminia Bielefeld. "The thigh swelled up, and I had a bad feeling," he recalled. He emphasized the danger of taking painkillers before sleep, stating, "Sometimes you take a painkiller to sleep – but thankfully I didn't do that, because if I had slept for seven or eight hours, it could have ended very badly in the morning."

Sometimes you take a painkiller to sleep – but thankfully I didn't do that, because if I had slept for seven or eight hours, it could have ended very badly in the morning.

— Maximilian WittekWittek explaining how avoiding painkillers potentially saved him from a worse outcome.

Doctors at the clinic quickly recognized the severity of the situation, stressing the urgency of restoring blood flow. "You can't wait any longer because every minute without circulation can damage the muscle," Wittek explained. He now bears a prominent scar, which he described as "a proper beast," but is ultimately thankful that the situation was resolved without further complications.

You can't wait any longer because every minute without circulation can damage the muscle.

— Maximilian WittekWittek relaying the medical urgency of his condition.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Die Zeit in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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