USWNT star Trinity Rodman has been one of the best players not only for her national team but her club as well, a likely NWSL MVP candidate with the Washington Spirit through the 2024 season.
Thus, it was alarming when Rodman was in significant pain as she went down with a back injury on Friday in an NWSL regular-season match against the Kansas City Current.
Not only did Washington suffer a 3-0 defeat, which saw the Current draw within two points of their second-place position, but the loss of Rodman left them worried for the status of their best attacking star with just six matches left before the playoffs.
The Sporting News has more on the recent Olympic gold medal winner and Spirit star whose eight NWSL goals have her tied for fourth in the U.S. domestic league.
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Trinity Rodman back injury news, updates
Washington Spirit star Rodman left the pitch in a ton of pain after suffering a back injury on Friday, September 20 in a 3-0 defeat to the Kansas City Current.
She would walk off under her own power but five minutes later would eventually leave the playing area in a wheelchair in what appeared to be severe discomfort, putting a towel over her face to hide her anguish.
Rodman later returned to the Spirit bench with an ice pack, which she held up to her lower back between her body and the seat.
Little was known about the situation in the immediate aftermath, with Spirit head coach Jonatan Giraldez saying after the match that he had "no information." However, the next morning, the club announced that Rodman had suffered an "intense back spasm" and according to Ella Brockway of the Washington Post the Spirit are hopeful that their USWNT star avoided "a very serious injury."
Rodman has a history of back spasms dating back to her NWSL rookie season in 2021, and thus this is likely a recurrence of that problem triggered by the impact from the opponent's knee to her lower back.
USWNT and Washington Spirit star Trinity Rodman came off the pitch with a wheelchair tonight following a lower back injury.
— GOLZ TV (@golz_tv) September 21, 2024
She was visibly in a lot of pain and had a towel over her face.
During the post-game press conference, Spirit Coach Jonatan Giráldez said he doesn't have… pic.twitter.com/OcSJFLZkhn
How was Trinity Rodman injured?
In the 75th minute, Rodman collapsed to the ground after using her body to shield the ball away from Current forward Temwa Chawinga. It was a seemingly innocuous challenge, but on replay, Chawinga's knee appeared to make contact with Rodman's lower back.
Rodman at first hunched over and put her hands on her hips, before eventually collapsing to her knees. She received treatment for a few minutes before walking off the field.
However, the situation took a turn for the worse as about five minutes later, Rodman was taken back down the tunnel in a wheelchair. She was evidently in pain.
