Joe Biden sustained hairline fractures in his right foot and will likely require a walking boot for weeks, his doctor said after the president-elect slipped and twisted his ankle on Saturday while playing with his dog, Major.
The injury raises the possibility that Biden will be wearing some sort of brace on Inauguration Day, which follows a campaign during which Biden and President Trump questioned each other’s mental and physical fitness to hold office.
Kevin O’Connor, director of executive medicine at GW Medical Faculty Associates, provided an update after initial X-rays showed no “obvious fracture” in Biden’s foot.
“Initial x-rays did not show any obvious fracture, but his clinical exam warranted more detailed imaging,” O’Connor said. “Follow-up CT scan confirmed hairline (small) fractures of President-elect Biden’s lateral and intermediate cuneiform bones, which are in the mid-foot. It is anticipated that he will likely require a walking boot for several weeks.”
NEW: @nbcnews photographer captures @JoeBiden leaving orthopedic office in Delaware where the president-elect was just treated for what his doctor called a sprained right ankle from a fall Saturday. pic.twitter.com/mTYee0BMur
— Kelly O’Donnell (@KellyO) November 29, 2020
A press pool report said Biden traveled to his home in Wilmington, Delaware, after his visit to the doctor. According to his public schedule, Biden and his running mate, California Sen. Kamala Harris, will receive a presidential daily briefing on Monday, after which they will meet with transition advisers.
The injury came just over a week after the former vice president’s 78th birthday, making him the oldest person set to become president of the United States. Although Trump is contesting the election results, Biden is poised to take office in less than two months. Inauguration Day is Jan. 20.
Trump sent Biden well wishes on Sunday night, tweeting, “Get well soon!”
Get well soon! https://t.co/B0seiO84ld
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 30, 2020
The Biden family has two German shepherds, Major and Champ.
During the campaign last December, Biden’s team released a report detailing his health. It concluded that although he is currently being treated for four different ailments, he is “fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency.”
“Vice President Biden is a healthy, vigorous, 77-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency, to include those as Chief Executive, Head of State, and Commander in Chief,” O’Connor wrote.
However, when the report came out, Dr. David Scheiner, former President Barack Obama’s once-longtime doctor, said the medical records the campaign released were concerning and incomplete.
“He’s not a healthy guy,” Scheiner said. “He’s not in bad shape for his age, but I wouldn’t say he’s in outstanding health. Could I guarantee he won’t have issues for the next four years? He has a lot of issues that are just sort of sitting there.”
