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Olsen undergoes ankle surgery, should return this season

8 Jul, 2008

D.C. United announced today midfielder Ben Olsen underwent surgery on Monday. Dr. Lew Schon in Baltimore performed the arthroscopic surgery, which looked at lesions on the talus and medial malleolus of Olsen’s left ankle. Dr. Schon, who also performed the veteran midfielder’s ankle surgeries during the off-season, placed two screws in the medial malleolus to treat a stress reaction there. Olsen is expected to take four to eight weeks to recover.

“We are confident that the procedure Ben underwent yesterday will relieve the pain that he has been experiencing during the past several months,” said United General Manager Dave Kasper.  “This has been a difficult few months for Ben, but we know that he will fight through this and get back on the field for the final stretch of our season.”

Olsen played for the first time this season in the 4-1 beating of the LA Galaxy on June 29, after undergoing bilateral ankle surgery last November. The 31-year old had perhaps the finest season of his career in 2007, despite having to adjust to a position he hadn’t regularly played in nearly eight years. The 10-year veteran responded with a career-best seven goals to go along with seven helpers. He tallied his first career hat trick against New York in a 4-2 D.C. win on June 10, earning both Player of the Week and Goal of the Week honors. He earned a second Player of the Week honor for his two-goal performance in United’s 4-0 thrashing of FC Dallas on September 1. His three game-winning goals were second most on the team.

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