CALIFORNIA, When soccer players collide in midair, the toll is not always counted in concussions, torn ligaments or twisted ankles.
Sometimes it is a broken nose — a burst of blood, a few minutes of treatment on the touchline, perhaps a protective mask and a swift return to play — that becomes the lasting injury, leaving an athlete struggling to breathe long after the match is over.
It is a risk that Dr. Farhad Ardesh, a Beverly Hills facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon, says remains one of soccer’s most underestimated.
“Sometimes a minor injury on the outside can cause major damage on the inside,” said Ardesh, who has treated professional athletes, including soccer players.
“You might have the nose that just looks a little swollen or a little crooked, but the inside of the nose actually has a zigzag pattern or an S-shaped deformity that’s really affecting this player’s breathing.”
