Josiah Harris Suffers Tibia Injury, Timeline Unknown For Now

West Virginia signee Josiah Harris has been diagnosed with a fractured lateral tibia on Tuesday, Harris tells WV Sports Now. Harris will be out of any activity for 4-6 weeks, with surgery still a possibility.

Harris did not play in the OHSAA State Championship game due to suffering the injury in the state semi-finals on Saturday. Harris was pushed in the first minute of the game, landing awkwardly. Harris was taken out of the  game but returned to finish with 10 points in limited playing time.

“Everything happened so fast,” he said.

Harris was a game-time decision for the state title game on Sunday but was ruled out by his head coach Quentin Rogers.

“These are my brothers. They didn’t believe in us,” Harris said after the title win.

According to Ortho Virginia, a fractured tibia can take up to 4-6 months to completely heal. Basketball players like Kevin Ware and Paul George are just a few names that have suffered the worst of this injury. By six weeks, most people are comfortable with their knee, but should hold back on any aggressive activity for longer so they don’t fracture it again.

“The tibia is the most commonly fractured long bone in the human body. Occurring along the length of the bone below the knee and above the ankle, the fracture of the tibia typically requires major force. In the event of a tibia fracture, the fibula is often broken as well,” Kwadwo Owusu-Akyaw, MD, a sports medicine specialist told Ortho Virginia. 

WV Sports Now will keep up to date with Harris’ recovery process, as he looks to come to Morgantown in the summer.