Lia Walti has undergone surgery to reconstruct her lateral collateral ligament and now faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

BOREHAMWOOD, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 04: Lia Walti of Arsenal warms up prior to the WSL match between Arsenal Women and Birmingham Ladies at Meadow Park on November 4, 2018 in Borehamwood, England. (Photo by Jack Thomas/Getty Images)
BOREHAMWOOD, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 04: Lia Walti of Arsenal warms up prior to the WSL match between Arsenal Women and Birmingham Ladies at Meadow Park on November 4, 2018 in Borehamwood, England. (Photo by Jack Thomas/Getty Images)

As I was doing a round-up yesterday of the internationals, I noticed that Lia Walti was missing from the Switzerland squad but gave it little thought at the time.

Had I bothered to think about it a bit more I might have realised something serious was up.

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At the time of writing, Arsenal have said nothing about the injury but we can expect Walti to be sidelined for up to nine months as she recovers.

Unlike Jordan Nobbs, who did her ACL, Walti has injured her LCL. However, as James H. Lubowitz, MD, writes, “The LCL (lateral collateral ligament) is a ligament located on the outside of the knee and contributes to lateral knee stability. It is uncommon for an LCL injury to be in isolation.

“Typically, an LCL tear is associated with injuries to the ACL, PCL, or a complete knee dislocation. When the LCL is torn, along with the ACL, it is recommended to have surgery approximately 3 weeks after injury.

“Early reconstruction for an LCL and ACL tear, requires recreating the ACL with a graft through an arthroscopic technique, and open surgery for the LCL. As directed by your physician, a thorough rehabilitation program will begin.

“Patients are typically able to resume most normal activities within 9 months after surgery.”