Jongho, a member of K-pop boy band ATEEZ, will undergo surgery in his knee due to a meniscus rupture.
“A meniscus rupture is an injury to the crescent-shaped and wedge-shaped cartilage discs of the knee joint. A meniscus can either be torn or severed due to external force, or may degenerate due to age or predisposition,” according to the Med-el website.
(From left) NCT's Taeil, ATEEZ's Jongho and Seventeen's S.Coups suffered injuries requiring surgery (Instagram, Twitter)
“While Jongho was undergoing conservative treatment and recovery for a ‘meniscus rupture,’ it was determined that detailed examination and additional measures were necessary. As a result, Jongho immediately stopped his overseas schedules and returned to Korea to receive treatment at a specialized medical institution,” said KQ Entertainment, ATEEZ’s agency, on Aug. 26.
It said that “after a thorough examination, Jongho was recommended to undergo surgery and receive intensive management for the existing injured area.”
While Jongho is sidelined by his condition, ATEEZ will continue to perform with seven members.
“As a result, ATEEZ will continue with seven members for upcoming schedules while Jongho undergoes rehabilitation after the surgery. We ask for your understanding regarding the decision to prioritize Jongho’s prompt recovery, and we will update you once he is ready to return to the group’s schedule,” the agency said.
ATEEZ performed at KCON LA and on Aug. 21, the agency said Jongho will “return to Korea to conduct a thorough examination and treatment by experts.”
“Jongho was diagnosed with a ‘meniscus rupture’ after his last ankle injury, but because of his strong will to be on stage, he focused on conservative treatment and recovery, including injections that helped relieve pain and boost regenerative qualities,” the agency said.
It added, “However, after today's event, Jongho experienced extreme pain, so we have come to the decision of immediately suspending his upcoming schedules for August 20 (local time) and having him return to Korea to conduct a thorough examination and treatment by experts.”
“The cartilage discs, which are composed of one-third collagen and two-thirds water, act as shock absorbers, stabilizers, and load distributors in the knee joint. The inner meniscus is firmly attached to the joint capsule of the knee. It is thus more frequently exposed to the damaging effects of external rotary movements than the more flexible outer meniscus. As a result, a meniscus rupture is more often a tear of the inner meniscus,” the Med-el website added.
Symptoms of meniscus rupture are pain when bending, stretching, or turning the knee; pain under stress; swelling; feeling of instability; narrowing in the knee joint; and audible cracking or snapping noises.
Jongho is the third K-pop idol to undergo surgery after NCT’s Taeil and Seventeen’s S.Coups.
Taeil suffered a thigh fracture on Aug. 15 after he “got into an accident while riding his motorcycle home from work and was taken to the hospital for a detailed examination and treatment,” said SM Entertainment.
“As a result of the examination, he was diagnosed with a fracture in his right thigh, and medical staff advised that he needed surgery,” it said.
During the “NCT NATION: To The World” in Incheon, South Korea on Aug. 26, Doyoung mentioned Taeil’s condition.
“Taeil is recovering well after the surgery, so we’ll show you we're together again soon,” he said, Korean media reported on Aug. 26.
Taeyong said, "First of all, concentrating on treatment is the priority. Taeil misses you so much, but he will come back after recovering well, so I hope you don't worry too much."
On the other hand, Seventeen’s S.Coups underwent surgery in his knee on Aug. 21.
S.Coups was injured during filming for a content on Aug. 10 and “sustained a tear to his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the left knee during a content shoot,” according to Pledis Entertainment.
“After receiving necessary pre-surgery medical treatment as recommended by the medical staff, he underwent surgery to restore his ACL and anterolateral ligament on Monday, 21st,” it added.
It said, “The surgery was a success, and S.COUPS was discharged from the hospital on Thursday morning, the 24th, and has been resting since.”
S.Coups got injured in the left knee “as he was landing while playing a ball game for a content shoot.”
“He was immediately taken to the hospital where he underwent a comprehensive medical examination including an MRI scan. During the examination, a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) was identified in the left knee,” it said.
According to the Mayo Clinic website, “An ACL injury is a tear or sprain of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) — one of the strong bands of tissue that help connect your thigh bone (femur) to your shinbone (tibia). ACL injuries most commonly occur during sports that involve sudden stops or changes in direction, jumping and landing — such as soccer, basketball, football and downhill skiing.”