Soccer Players Missed World Cup "Because of Feet"... Collapsed Without External Collision, What Condition?

It is the largest tournament in history, featuring 48 participating nations playing 104 matches, and serves as a stage where 1,248 players from around the world will prove their sweat and effort. However, there are players who were on the verge of participating in the World Cup but ultimately failed to step onto that stage. Representative examples include South Korea's Cho Yu-min (Sharjah), France's Hugo Ekiticé (Liverpool), and Argentina's Juan Foyth (Villarreal).

The common thread among the three players is that they were forced to withdraw from competitions due to foot injuries. ◇ Even without colliding with an opponent? While most injuries in soccer matches stem from external collisions, all three players mentioned above sustained injuries while performing actions without any physical contact. In the case of Jo Yu-min, her plantar fascia, which had accumulated damage due to repetitive overload, exceeded a critical threshold and ruptured.

The plantar fascia is a fibrous tissue extending from the heel bone to the toes; it is a key structure that absorbs shock during walking and maintains the arch of the foot. When repetitive micro-injuries accumulate while taking a step, it leads to inflammation, which is known as plantar fasciitis. In Jo Yu-min's case, the condition went beyond simple inflammation, with the fascia itself rupturing.

Hugo Ekitiché, who was expected to be the main striker for the French national team, also collapsed on the ground without any contact during a recent UEFA Champions League quarter-final match. His right Achilles tendon ruptured. With a recovery requiring at least eight months, his first-ever World Cup appearance was canceled.

Argentine defender Juan Foyth was also excluded from Argentina's World Cup squad, which is aiming for a second consecutive title, after suffering a left Achilles tendon rupture during the 21st round of the Spanish La Liga. ◇ Is it only a problem for athletes?. 290,000 patients with plantar fasciitis and 150,000 with Achilles tendonitis The general public cannot be complacent about various foot conditions, such as plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis.

While it is uncommon for cases to progress to rupture like those seen in athletes, inflammation can easily occur in the affected area. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the number of domestic patients with plantar fasciitis has been steadily increasing from 265,346 in 2021 to 289,338 in 2024.

With the continuing running craze, cases are rising not only among the middle-aged and elderly but also among the younger generation; office workers who stand for long periods or those who frequently wear sandals without cushioning or high-heeled shoes also need to be cautious. The number of patients with Achilles tendonitis is also showing an increasing trend, rising from 143,366 in 2022 to 153,223 in 2025.

Symptoms of plantar fasciitis are characterized by sharp pain that starts on the inside of the heel and extends to the center of the sole when taking the first step in the morning or standing up after sitting for a long time. Plantar fasciitis is often neglected because the pain frequently subsides temporarily with rest; however, if left untreated, the inflammation can become chronic, prolonging the treatment period.

Furthermore, if the condition is left untreated, the pain can cause an unnatural walking posture, potentially leading to imbalances in the knees, hips, and spine. Achilles tendonitis is a condition in which inflammation occurs in the tissue connecting the calf and the heel, characterized by stabbing pain and swelling in the area above the heel and below the calf.

The pain tends to intensify with activity and subside with rest. For this reason, it is often neglected, just like plantar fasciitis; however, if inflammation becomes chronic, the tendon tissue itself gradually weakens, increasing the risk of rupture.

It is also similar to plantar fasciitis in that it can cause secondary imbalances in the knees, hips, and spine. ◇ What are the process and effects of integrated Korean medicine treatment? Most foot-related diseases can be improved through conservative treatment.

In particular, Korean medicine utilizes acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and Chuna manual therapy for treatment. While it is easy to think of plantar fasciitis as merely inflammation of the sole of the foot, it is actually often accompanied by dysfunction of the muscles in the lower leg (calf) and foot, so treatment for these areas is also performed concurrently.

When muscles that disperse impact on the soles of the feet—such as the gastrocnemius, soleus, and flexor digitorum longus—as well as intrinsic plantar muscles like the quadratus plantarus and abductor hallucis, are subjected to continuous strain, muscle fibers can clump together and harden, leading to the development of "trigger points" (pain trigger points). As a result, the muscles fail to contract and relax normally, increasing the traction force applied to the plantar fascia.

In Korean traditional medicine, acupuncture plays a role in precisely stimulating and loosening over-tense and knotted lower leg and foot muscles. Through acupuncture stimulation, normal muscle function is restored, and blood flow around the soles is improved to reduce swelling and pain in inflamed areas.

Additionally, bee venom acupuncture, which involves injecting purified honeybee venom into the affected area, also exhibits powerful anti-inflammatory effects. According to a clinical case study published by Jaseng Korean Medical Hospital in the *Journal of Korean Spinal and Neuro-Medical Manipulation*, the pain numerical scale (NRS; 0–10) of patients with plantar fasciitis significantly decreased from 10 before treatment to 2 after treatment.

Furthermore, in Korean clinical practice, the long plantar ligament, which supports the longitudinal arch of the foot along with the plantar fascia, is treated with bee venom acupuncture to reduce stress on the plantar fascia and enhance treatment efficacy. Treatment for Achilles tendinitis is approached in the same context.

Acupuncture is performed on trigger points formed in the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles surrounding the Achilles tendon to relieve tension in chronically hardened muscles and improve blood flow around tissues with poor circulation. Additionally, the Achilles tendon has areas with sparse blood vessel distribution, which results in slow natural recovery.

In this case, melittin, a major component of bee venom acupuncture, induces a powerful immune response in the local area, rapidly increasing suppressed blood flow and eliminating chronic inflammatory cells. In addition, the effectiveness of treatment can be enhanced by using Chuna manual therapy to correct the alignment of the ankle joint and disperse the tension concentrated on the Achilles tendon.

Ha In-hyeok, Director of Bucheon Jaseng Korean Medicine Hospital, emphasized, "Foot conditions such as plantar fasciitis have a high likelihood of recurrence, and if left untreated, can lead to problems in other joints, such as the knees and lower back. " He added, "As seen in cases involving soccer players, sudden ruptures can occur even without external impact, so it is crucial not to take recurring pain in the soles and heels lightly and to seek professional medical attention early.

" He further stated, "Simply loosening the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon with sufficient stretching before exercise and wearing shoes with adequate cushioning can prevent injuries to a significant extent. " Reporter Jang Jong-ho bellho@sportschosun.