Broken Fibula - Again!

[Ed Steers]

A broken fibula brings back history. An interesting occurence at yesterday's (Thursday) Olympics. Manteo Mitchell of the USA team, running the first leg of the men's 4 x 400 relay broke the fibula in his left leg at the 200 meter mark and continued running the final 200 meters passing the baton to his team mate (the US qualified for the finals). Booth broke the fibula in his left leg, as we all know. There is some minor controversy whether Booth broke his leg jumping (as he later wrote in his diary) or later during his escape when his horse supposedly fell breaking his fibula. The fact that Booth was able to run across the stage and walk his horse over the Navy Yard Bridge does not prove he did not break his fibula jumping to the stage. As Mitchell shows, breaking your fibula does not prevent walking or running during very intense moments. The fibula is not a weight-bearing bone, and while painful, does not prevent mobility. I think Manteo Mitchel nows needs to be added as a footnote to the Booth escape story. An interesting occurrence! What do you think? Ed Steers