Wealdstone FC is providing an update on the serious injury sustained by forward Daniel Nkrumah during yesterday’s National League fixture away at Scunthorpe United.
Dan suffered a shoulder dislocation in the 77th minute of the match. He was in significant pain and also experiencing difficulty breathing. Scunthorpe’s club doctor initially attended to him on the pitch, attempting to manage his pain before a shoulder relocation could be attempted.
There was a delay in removing Dan from the pitch due to a lack of feeling and blood flow in the affected area. For this reason, medical staff attempted to relocate the shoulder as quickly as possible, but only in line with safe practice. A full medical check was also carried out on his head, neck and back due to the severity of the injury. The removal of the player from the pitch therefore took a significant amount of time.
Paramedics then provided further medical support, administering Entonox (gas and air) and 3 doses of morphine via a cannula. Once stabilised, Dan was carefully moved onto a spinal board and taken from the field of play. In the medical room at the stadium, another doctor was able to successfully relocate his shoulder.
Due to the administration of morphine on the pitch and the length of time required to assess and treat him, Dan’s teammates were understandably concerned about the seriousness of his injury. He was then taken to a local hospital for further assessment and X-rays. While the exact extent of the injury will require an MRI scan to confirm, the early indication is that he will be sidelined for around four months. Dan was unable to travel back with the team due to the level of medication administered and the need for further monitoring.
We are pleased to report that Dan has now been released from hospital and is recovering at home. His injury will require further investigation as he continues to experience pain and restricted movement, but the club’s medical team will be working closely with him throughout his recovery process.
Everyone at the Stones wishes Dan a safe and speedy recovery and we look forward to seeing him back on the pitch in due course.
The club will not be making any statement regarding the abandonment of the game at this moment. This is a matter for the referee’s report in the first instance and subsequently for The FA and the National League.