Jaylon Smith: A Dark Prediction?

[JonJon]

"Recovery from nerve injury is usually early or not at all.
At this point medically, it appears there is no way for the nerve to ever be 100 percent.
Smith has blown through the reported recovery estimate already, as his doctor initially indicated a three-month timeline from April of 2016. No question he had a top surgeon, who happens to be the Cowboys team doctor, but there is not much one can do about a nerve. It either does or doesn’t recover."

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com...oys-nerve-update-minicamp-20170509-story.html

Oh well guys, it's all over... we tried. Despite the positive reports coming from team officials and Jaylon Smith himself, @ProFootballDoc doesn't think he will make a full recovery. Time to call up Dexter Coakley to see what he has left.

 

[ActualCowboysFan]

Everything I've heard on the topic had Smith's recovery rate at or ahead of schedule the entire time. And we heard early on that the recovery rate was supposed to be ~inch/month. Neither of those is consistent with what 'ProFootballDoc' is reporting here.

Should also note he's quoting Chao pretty heavily here, and Chao had nothing to do with Jaylon's procedure or recovery.

He is Chao. He's quoting himself. Always a sign of good research.

 

[BoysfanfromCanada]

The doctor never said three months, he said 12-15. Like everyone else said, just ********

 

[Idgit]

He is Chao. He's quoting himself. Always a sign of good research.

Lol! Is he really? Funny.

 

[Proof]

I hope Smith can come back, but all the puff pieces and glowing talking points from Jerry and Steven are wishful thinking on Smith, but until he practice's in full pads without the brace, I'll be highly doubtful he can contribute much this year, he may need another year....how many players who had micro-fracture surgery that weren't able to come back, and we're talking about nerve regeneration here which have their own timetable.....He may be able to walk normally and run in a straight line but cutting and stopping and changing direction is a different animal when it comes to football ...

Seriously. I wish there were some footage of him cutting and changing direction. Maybe some impressive agility drills. That would give me optimism. That would really be something

 

[Baileyneverfailey]

Here's what you need to know about this guy: http://thebiglead.com/2016/02/08/david-chao-twitter-injury-expert/

The dude is a disgrace of a doctor, and you shouldn't listen to anything he says. He's a huge part of the reason Junior Seau is dead.

 

[tyke1doe]

All these "will he or won't he" threads are exhausting.
We will find out whether he can play or not soon enough.
So I'm just going to wait it out.

 

[waldoputty]

He is Chao. He's quoting himself. Always a sign of good research.

are you serious?

 

[waldoputty]

The doctor never said three months, he said 12-15. Like everyone else said, just bull****

9-15 months originally.
but the point is everyone knew year 1 may well not happen.

 

[ActualCowboysFan]

Seriously. I wish there were some footage of him cutting and changing direction. Maybe some impressive agility drills. That would give me optimism. That would really be something

You're saying you want proof, Proof?

 

[Proof]

You're saying you want proof, Proof?

Yes. I was also not so subtly referencing the fact that we've got just that. I know I know gamespeed etc etc. he can run, cut, jump. Looks good

 

[CowboyRoy]

Not sure how credible this is . . . but some of the analytical points are worth noting . . . .

"Recovery from nerve injury is usually early or not at all.
At this point medically, it appears there is no way for the nerve to ever be 100 percent.
Smith has blown through the reported recovery estimate already, as his doctor initially indicated a three-month timeline from April of 2016. No question he had a top surgeon, who happens to be the Cowboys team doctor, but there is not much one can do about a nerve. It either does or doesn’t recover."

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com...oys-nerve-update-minicamp-20170509-story.html

Are you sure because some have him pegged as being a huge difference maker this year.

 

[Doomsday101]

Well that is the view point of a person on the outside looking in. He has not examined Jaylon and is using a lot of typically, on average" type comments.

 

[tyke1doe]

Here is his bio . . . .
"Dr. David Chao is a board certified orthopaedic surgeon/sports medicine specialist who spent 17 years (1997-2013) as the head team physician for the San Diego Chargers. He is the current SiriusXM Sports Medical Analyst and appears regularly on the NFL channel. He has also served as Chief Medical Officer for more than two dozen summer and winter X games, team physician for the USA Sevens Rugby team, medical consultant for WWE, host physician for the U.S. Olympic Committee and has consulted with the NBA, MLB and NHL. He has performed surgeries on several hundred NFL players. Chao attended Harvard before receiving his medical degree from Northwestern School of Medicine at Chicago. He moved to San Diego in 1995 and continues to practice there."

However, I think there is some evidence that not everyone is a fan of Dr. Chao . . . .
http://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/201...o-chargers-doctor-david-chao-has-chaotic-past

https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...os-engligence-treatment-junior-seau/83777186/

He's probably giving his worst-case scenario, or at least that's what he's going to say if Jaylon has a full recovery.
But I'm not going to foolishly sit here and knock the man's credentials when he has likely forgotten more medicine than I even know.
Having said that, there's nothing wrong with being optimistic and embracing hope. And doctors, while very knowledgeable, aren't omniscient. They can and have been wrong.
I'm sure Jaylon knows this verse: "Whose report will you believe? We will believe the report of the Lord."

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

That guy has been against Jaylon ever recovering and it appears he is doubling down. That's that Dr. Chao guy who isn't quite the credible doctor from what I've read.

 

[Doomsday101]

He's probably giving his worst-case scenario, or at least that's what he's going to say if Jaylon has a full recovery.
But I'm not going to foolishly sit here and knock the man's credentials when he has likely forgotten more medicine than I even know.
Having said that, there's nothing wrong with being optimistic and embracing hope. And doctors, while very knowledgeable, aren't omniscient. They can and have been wrong.
I'm sure Jaylon knows this verse: "Whose report will you believe? We will believe the report of the Lord."

I tend to lean towards those who are closer to the situation and the athlete himself. Could Chao be right? sure but I would tend to believe him more if he was actually the one examining and treating Smith.

 

[Plankton]

I'll repeat what I have said previously about this - the only people who truly know what the status of Jaylon Smith's abilities to raise his foot and have full feeling/capabilities in his lower leg is the Cowboy medical staff, management, and Jaylon Smith. No one else knows - especially a doctor who has not personally examined Smith or his medical records.

Until training camp rolls around, none of this matters. If he's not ready until the day before camp, it doesn't matter. No one should panic before then.

 

[Verdict]

If Jaylon Smith is a generational talent even if we have two wait two years for him to play he would be well worth the pick.

 

[tyke1doe]

I tend to lean towards those who are closer to the situation and the athlete himself. Could Chao be right? sure but I would tend to believe him more if he was actually the one examining and treating Smith.

I understand and agree. My comments are more toward those criticizing him as if he is not qualified to offer an opinion. He has the credentials. My guess is that he's giving a worst-case scenario. That doesn't mean his scenario is incorrect medically. It may just mean that he isn't being as hopeful in his medical analysis as, say, Jaylon's doctor - who actually performed the surgery and is more acquainted with Jaylon's situation - would be.

 

[Doomsday101]

The doctor never said three months, he said 12-15. Like everyone else said, just bull****

Yep pretty much what his doctor said

In February, Cooper was given the Arthur C. Rettig Award for Academic Excellence by the NFL Physicians Society for his study, “Return to Play Following Isolated and Combined ACL Reconstruction: 25 Years of Experience Treating NFL Athletes.” Among the co-authors was Cowboys associate athletic trainer Britt Brown.

Cooper’s specialties are surgical techniques for knee and shoulder injuries.

What makes Smith’s injury less common, however, is the damage to the peroneal nerve.

In a USA Today article, Cooper said Smith would likely need a redshirt season and that the nerve injury takes nine to 15 months to fully recover.

Cooper said the damage stretched Smith’s nerve “enough to make it go to sleep, but it wasn’t stretched enough to be structurally elongated or visually very damaged,” adding, “He’s had time for his nerve to regrow two inches, and the area of where his nerve was injured is six inches above the muscle that it innervates. 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.”

http://www.espn.com/blog/dallas/cow...n-coopers-expertise-in-selecting-jaylon-smith