31 May 2018

A Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) conducted on May 29, has shown that Isaac Makwala has sustained a hamstring tendon tear.

Makwala sustained the injury, which forced him to pull out during the race at the recent Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, in the IAAF Diamond League meeting on May 26.

Makwala was neck to neck with American Noah Lyles when he pulled out.

Makwala has now missed the Rome Diamond League meeting which was held yesterday (May 31), and he will also miss the IAAF World Challenge meeting on Sunday (June 3) in Hengelo, Netherlands where he was scheduled to compete against the likes of Churandy Martina of the Netherlands, Chinese Zhenye Xie and Jak Harvey of Turkey in 200 metres.

His coach, Justice Dipeba, who has joined Makwala in the Netherlands, said in an interview that the athlete has torn a tendon on his lower left hamstring.

“This was confirmed by a MRI that was done on Tuesday. He did very well in the physical tests as he can still do a lot without feeling any pain,” he said.

Dipeba said he was happy that Makala could walk normally and that his balance was good.

He noted that he had one more assessment that was going to be done by a hamstring specialist.

He said the assessment was scheduled for Monday in Amsterdam, adding that he had already started his rehabilitation training.

Furthermore, Dipeba said it would be only after the hamstring specialist assessment that he would be in a position to know how long the athlete would be side-lined.

However, average healing times for a mild strain range from two to 10 days.

A moderate strain can take 10 to six weeks while a severe strain can go for six to 10 weeks.

The complications listed above are more likely to occur in a case of repeated injuries. ENDS