Key facts on Jaylon Smith recovery

FuzzyLumpkins · Apr 30, 2016

Wood said:
I would add this big time injury and Lattimore couldn't come back from it. It's worth reading why Lattimore retired:
http://www.sbnation.com/longform/2015/7/8/8900709/marcus-lattimore-profile-feature

According to the article, Lattimore got a helmet to the knee and:

Marcus had torn three of the four major ligaments holding the joint together, the ACL, lateral collateral ligament (LCL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). Even worse, his dislodged knee had come in contact with an artery and the nerve in his leg.

Smith did not tear the LCL nor impact the artery. His knee popped planting under load and not from blunt force trauma. Further while Lattimore's nerve was intact, the article does not specify if there was injury to the nerve exterior or if it had been elongated. It definitely does not appear that Smith's knee dislocated and twisted like Lattimore's did.

Similar certainly but while Lattimore's surgeon, Dr. Andrews, was saying that

That was about as bad an injury as you’ll ever see in football,

Smith's doctor described his injury as:

enough to make it go to sleep, but it wasn’t stretched enough to be structurally elongated or visually very damaged” like more severe injuries

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...aylon-smith-knee-nerve-injury-draft/83416394/

Ultimately Lattimore had chronic pain that progressively worsened causing him to hang it up for good reason. There is not indication that is the case with Smith.

Wood · Apr 30, 2016

FuzzyLumpkins said:
According to the article, Lattimore got a helmet to the knee and:

Smith did not tear the LCL nor impact the artery. His knee popped planting under load and not from blunt force trauma. Further while Lattimore's nerve was intact, the article does not specify if there was injury to the nerve exterior or if it had been elongated. It definitely does not appear that Smith's knee dislocated and twisted like Lattimore's did.

Similar certainly but while Lattimore's surgeon, Dr. Andrews, was saying that

Smith's doctor described his injury as:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...aylon-smith-knee-nerve-injury-draft/83416394/

Ultimately Lattimore had chronic pain that progressively worsened causing him to hang it up for good reason. There is not indication that is the case with Smith.

I also wonder if having two knee injury (he also tore ACL in other knee year before catastrophic injury) just wore him down. Jaylon looks upbeat and positive in his videos. It seem key factor is that there is continued gradual improvement and not long plateaus that Lattimore was experiencing combined with pain and just did him in.

black label · Apr 30, 2016

FuzzyLumpkins said:
According to the article, Lattimore got a helmet to the knee and:

Smith did not tear the LCL nor impact the artery. His knee popped planting under load and not from blunt force trauma. Further while Lattimore's nerve was intact, the article does not specify if there was injury to the nerve exterior or if it had been elongated. It definitely does not appear that Smith's knee dislocated and twisted like Lattimore's did.

Similar certainly but while Lattimore's surgeon, Dr. Andrews, was saying that

Smith's doctor described his injury as:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...aylon-smith-knee-nerve-injury-draft/83416394/

Ultimately Lattimore had chronic pain that progressively worsened causing him to hang it up for good reason. There is not indication that is the case with Smith.

Also interesting in that article,

“He’s had time for his nerve to regrow 2 inches, and the area of where his nerve was injured is 6 inches above the muscle that it innervates,” said Cooper, who’s also the Dallas Cowboys’ head team physician. “I wouldn’t really expect him to get much innervation back into that muscle for two or three more months. Then once it does – I’ve seen kids who are completely paralyzed like him on the lateral side and not able to pick their foot up at all (that) wind up being totally normal.”

cnhnyy · Apr 30, 2016

It is very difficult for the nerve to re-generate to the original form. He can walk fine with some minor deficits but playing LB in NFL would be a different. Without intact peripheral nerve system, it is very easy for him to suffer another injury.

Dr. Cooper might be the best sports medicine guy in the world but he is not a neurologist. I sure hope it will work out in the end but this is a huge gamble. Only a GM who is not worried about his job can do this in the early rounds.

Rogerthat12 · Apr 30, 2016

FuzzyLumpkins said:
Here are the key facts as I see them:

1) The ACL and PCL repair was a success. This is demonstrated by his return to athletic activities. The only concern at this point is the peroneal nerve.
2) According to his doctor the nerve was stretched and not elongated with no significant damage to the nerve exterior.
3) The best outcome is a grade 2 injury which indicates complete nerve regeneration and a full recovery.
4) The worst outcome is scar tissue forms inside the nerve causing a partial recovery. There are further surgical solutions if this is the case.
5) Smith is 16 weeks or 3.5 months postop and is regaining sensation in foot indicating regeneration is ongoing.
6) The nerve recovery timeframe is around 6 months due to the length of injured nerve. He could well be recovered by July.
6) Modern MRI techniques can see the development of scar tissue and abnormalities. This implies his doctors can tell if it is a grade 2 or 3 injury at this point based on whether or not scars are forming.

Front Brain Fuzzy, nice job!

Rogerthat12 · Apr 30, 2016

texbumthelife said:
He guaranteed he would play in 2016. I don't care. I love this kid. Sometimes you have to go with your heart and your gut and roll the dice. This kid is going to pay off.

I agree, this kid is a differene maker and will rove the middle for years once healthy!

chagus · Apr 30, 2016

texbumthelife said:
He guaranteed he would play in 2016. I don't care. I love this kid. Sometimes you have to go with your heart and your gut and roll the dice. This kid is going to pay off.

I appreciate the positive vibes and info. So we got Jaylin Smith? The Sith? Heh. "Officer, I'm a little... hmmm. Just wanna know how to get to Sesame Street.". "You're on Sesame st."

"Oh, cool."

DogFace · Apr 30, 2016

RingOfHonor88 said:
Lots of very intelligent people, with a ton of knowledge in a wide range of vocations here. Cowboyszone is truly one of a kind.

I'll second this. Over all a great group of extremely intelligent people here.

waving monkey · Apr 30, 2016

cnhnyy said:
It is very difficult for the nerve to re-generate to the original form. He can walk fine with some minor deficits but playing LB in NFL would be a different. Without intact peripheral nerve system, it is very easy for him to suffer another injury.

Dr. Cooper might be the best sports medicine guy in the world but he is not a neurologist. I sure hope it will work out in the end but this is a huge gamble. Only a GM who is not worried about his job can do this in the early rounds.

thats why JJones is so great

Bullflop · Apr 30, 2016

The Jaylon Smith acquisition prompted mixed feeling with this fan. It was a terrible choice for this season while yet offering at least a measure of hope for the future. No goosebumps here.

I can easily picture exactly why a team like the New England Patriots would be inclined to make such a move but the Cowboys' situation is too desperate to be making high-risk decisions.

Proximo · Apr 30, 2016

Idgit said:
Jerry indicated he could be back as soon as some of the other defensive players who will miss time, or some such gobbledygook. That would seem to indicate week 5 of the regular season, though that seems unpossible on the surface.

Ha. No post draft press conference is complete without some Jerryspeak + hyperbole.

Bullflop · Apr 30, 2016

Proximo said:
Ha. No post draft press conference is complete without some Jerryspeak + hyperbole.

Jerry never hisitates to lean toward bringing back the walking wounded from injury too soon. It's a tendency that invites disaster.

Carl23 · Apr 30, 2016

I found this interesting this from the article:

Once he’s healthy, Smith says, he sees himself as a pass rusher, probably from a 3-4 outside linebacker spot, though he feels he can play inside or outside in a 4-3 or even add weight to be a 4-3 end. NFL executives rave about Smith’s versatility and his performance in interviews. He’s eager to show off his football IQ on the field, proving there’s more to his game than being “just a talented freak who does amazing things"

Section446 · Apr 30, 2016

We made the investment, we need to protect it. Don't let him play until 2017.

1972COWBOY · Apr 30, 2016

I read someplace Jaylon says he can play even if the nerve doesn't heal further. My thumb is much much less numb after a wandering drill bit hit it. With good blood flow, nerves can regenerate especially if not severed.

Squatting 500 lbs in no small feat for the knee ligaments.

big dog cowboy · Apr 30, 2016

He's a beast.

Bluestang · Apr 30, 2016

You guys realize that he has what is called "drop foot" as a result of the nerve damage. This is the one issue that is threatening his career entirely. In his workouts he is wearing a prosthetic that lifts the foot for him.

Now at pick 34 for a team that needs defensive players to come in and help right away this wasn't the wisest choice to make. Couple that with Rod Marinelli not even being able to get his name right during his selection call (pronounced his name with a G), this tells me what a lot of us have being saying about this franchise for years - that have no direction.

MikeT22 · Apr 30, 2016

waving monkey said:
thats why JJones is so great

We have two wildcard trophies in the last 20 years to prove it.

erod · Apr 30, 2016

I was really proud of Jerry and and McClay for taking this player.

This took gonads, and if they are right, he has talent like maybe we've never seen in Dallas at linebacker.

And he'll appreciate this team forever for taking this chance this early so he doesn't have to take a cheap contract not worthy of his abilities.

Dallas might have just gotten the two best talents and greatest impact players in the 2016 draft.

Well done.

Vero_F250 · Apr 30, 2016

Bluestang said:
You guys realize that he has what is called "drop foot" as a result of the nerve damage. This is the one issue that is threatening his career entirely. In his workouts he is wearing a prosthetic that lifts the foot for him.

Now at pick 34 for a team that needs defensive players to come in and help right away this wasn't the wisest choice to make. Couple that with Rod Marinelli not even being able to get his name right during his selection call (pronounced his name with a G), this tells me what a lot of us have being saying about this franchise for years - that have no direction.

He called him Jaylon first...then when he couldn't get in contact with him (cause they were all celebrating and it was loud on the phone) it got a bit awkward and he did call him Gaylon. Simple mistake. If you really think that Rod doesn't know this kids name then you clearly have no direction.

Key facts on Jaylon Smith recovery

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