Paris (AFP)

Lodge syndrome, or biker disease: the muscle problem that deprived Fabio Quartararo of a victory at the Spanish Grand Prix is ​​well known to MotoGP riders.

What to slow down the French in his quest for the world title?

"I had no more strength, my arm was stone": when explaining what cost him the race in Jerez (Andalusia), Fabio Quartararo was dejected, "lost", after his 13th place final as they dominated the Grand Prix.

The 22-year-old Frenchman, dislodged by the Italian Francesco Bagnaia at the head of the world championship he hopes to win for the first time, will have to undergo surgery on Tuesday even if he indicated that he would be present for the 5th round at the French GP on May 16.

In June 2019, he had already had to undergo an operation because of "compartment syndrome", well known to pilots.

- "Prolonged tension" -

The compartment syndrome, "very common among motorcycle or ATV riders, occurs because of a prolonged tension on the muscles of the forearm", explains Pierre Ortega, doctor and president of the medical committee of the Federation French motorcycling (FFM).

"The muscles are contracted for long periods without being able to relax and re-oxygenate, and therefore are cramped in their compartments", the membranes surrounding the muscles, he continues.

Former MotoGP rider Randy de Puniet wonders how his compatriot ended the race: "it's impossible to ride with it, especially on the right side with the accelerator and the brake, and especially in Jerez, where we don't at no time has the time to stretch his hands to regain strength and sensitivity ".

Himself affected and operated for this problem at the end of his career when he moved to the Suberbike category in 2015, on heavier motorcycles with less efficient brakes, he explains: "We can no longer tighten, so when we get to 300 km / h and you have to grab the brakes ... it's not easy ".

"Especially with machines that are heavier and heavier, which go faster and faster and which need to brake harder and harder", adds De Puniet.

"In my opinion within two years, the whole plateau has passed on the billiards", fears De Puniet, while Sunday evening in Jerez, the Spaniard Aleix Espargaró (Aprilia) also indicated that he was suffering from the syndrome .

Spaniard Iker Lecuona (KTM) and Australian Jack Miller (Ducati) have already gone through surgery this season, between the 2nd round at the Doha GP and the 3rd in Portugal on April 18.

Good news for Quartararo, it did not prevent Miller from winning in Spain.

"It's common, it's a light operation," says De Puniet, now a consultant for Canal +.

"If he undergoes the operation tomorrow (Tuesday) he will be back at Le Mans 100%, there is no problem."

- Recurrences -

Sometimes pilots have to go through the operation several times, like the Spaniard Dani Pedrosa, in 2014 and 2015.

"On a first operation, we do what is called an aponeurotomy, we open the compartment, and it is generally a relatively simple operation," explains Dr. Ortega.

"But when there is a recurrence we are obliged to use a little more aggressive techniques in quotes, and we will go and open a little wider in the boxes".

He reassures: "the surgical solutions always make it possible to troubleshoot the high level pilot and reduce the pain".

But the doctor also emphasizes the recovery time: "professional pilots do not have time and that is what can be wrong, if they resume too early, it can generate behind phenomena of recurrence".

© 2021 AFP