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Vicki Townley updates us on Ben`s struggle for fitness in 2003.
All readers I am sure send Ben their best wishes.
It is good to know that when he comes back he will be at full fitness.:
Ben has continued to struggle with the injury he sustained to his wrist on New Years Eve while practicing for Super X. His wrist has lost most of his movement due to a piece of small bone that is sitting in the joint space. He also experiences significant pain as result of his median nerve being compressed by the deformity of his wrist.
He is booked for surgery next week, after the GP of Holland to remove the piece of bone and replace it with a bone graft. The orthopaedic surgeon will take a piece of bone from his iliac crest (hip bone) and place this into the wrist to stabilize the joint and assist with the repair of his injury. They will also free up the median nerve so that Ben gets function and sensation back in his thumb, index and middle fingers of his left hand.
It is expected that Ben will be out of racing for 8 weeks to allow complete recovery of his wrist.
It has been an enormous decision for Ben to make, he will have to stand down for 3 of the World GP races.
Ben found that while riding in Spain he was constantly distracted by the pain in his wrist and the inflexibility of the joint which prevents him riding as he should. He has opted to have this corrective surgery now so he can return to riding safely and continue to pursue his dream in the World Championship Grand Prix.
Yours in MX
Vicki T.
