Seattle Sounders: Will Bruin will miss 2-5 weeks with dislocated elbow

While Will Bruin’s injury is not as bad as initially feared by some, he will still be out at least two weeks for the Seattle Sounders.

It’s been that type of season so far for the Seattle Sounders, where even when things go right, something still has to go wrong. Look no further than the conclusion of Saturday’s game versus Real Salt Lake.

Seconds away from securing a crucial 1-0 win, Will Bruin was fighting for the ball in the corner, before falling to the turf. Right away, fans could see he was in a significant amount of pain and feared the worst. (Some supporters could hear him screaming out in agony.)

Afterwards, Sounders’ coach Brian Schmetzer downplayed the incident, saying the 27-year old would be fine. However, pending your perspective, this is not the case.

It turns out that Bruin has dislocated his elbow. He confirmed the news himself, via his Twitter account:

"“Thanks everyone for all the well wishes! Turns out, a dislocated elbow is a little painful. Only a minor setback, I’ll be back soon!”"

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You have to admire the 2011 11th overall draft pick’s positive attitude. However, his absence will still be a blow for the Sounders, with him currently tied with Nicolas Lodeiro on three goals, good enough for second on the team.

The question is, how long will Bruin be out of action? Here is some information regarding the standard recovery time for a dislocated elbow which does not require surgery, courtesy of OrthoInfo:

"Simple elbow dislocations are treated by keeping the elbow immobile in a splint or sling for two to three weeks, followed by early motion exercises."

Using this information as a basis, it is safe to assume Bruin will be out at least two weeks. However, if we take a cautious approach, this absence could extend to as long as five weeks.

The recovery timeline should become clearer as the week goes on. Regardless, this is another frustrating loss for a Sounders team which has already dealt with more than its fair share of injuries this season.

Next: Sounders get back on track

How does this latest addition to the casualty list affect the Sounders? Does the roster have the strength in-depth to overcome all the injuries and make the playoffs? Share your thoughts in the comment section.