Arsenal star Bukayo Saka is facing a lengthy lay-off through injury, following a fresh issue the star faced against Crystal Palace.
The winger went to ground early on in the match at Selhurst Park, clutching his right hamstring as he went to ground.
Saka’s injury caused further concern when he was substituted early, only to be spotted leaving the stadium on crutches.
The worst fears were confirmed just days later as Mikel Arteta confirmed Saka’s injury issues would keep him out for the foreseeable future.
The diagnosis was a torn hamstring, with the muscle concern set to see someone else take up the right flank for Arsenal instead of Saka.
How long is Bukayo Saka injured for?
Mikel Arteta claimed that Bukayo Saka will be missing for “weeks” after picking up a torn hamstring, which comes as a huge blow to the side.
The exact timeframe remains unknown, but certainly suggests he will be missing for the early parts of the New Year until a clearer scale is presented or an idea of the hamstring tear grade.
What is a torn hamstring?
The hamstring is a group of three muscles that control the back of the thigh and the movement that allows for the bending of the knee.
A hamstring tears when under stress, with one or more of the three muscles coming into damage that could cause problems.
For footballers, this is a particular issue as the hamstring controls the action of running, which is naturally important.
The severity of those hamstring issues can differ depending on the severity of the injury that has been picked up.
How severe is a hamstring tear?
Hamstring injuries are judged based on grades, with each one representing how severe the issue is and how long a recovery is likely to take.
Low-grade injuries are small issues that can heal on their own after just a couple of days, usually presenting as a tiny bit of discomfort.
Grade one and grade two tears or strains can take weeks to heal, ranging from three up to eight or perhaps more.
There are some even more severe cases of grade three tears, which are on the scale of a few months, while a full tear can take even longer.
How do footballers recover from hamstring injuries?
Footballers are in an extra rush to return to play than the average person who may be recovering from a hamstring injury.
A lot of the recovery is the same across the board though, with a theme of resting, applying ice, applying compression and elevating the impacted leg.
Some physios may add some targeted exercises to deal with the muscles, but it is largely a rest and wait recovery.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
