Sean Spence's return from ACL/LCL injury: 2 years

[Zekeats]

Once upon a time, whilst skiing down an icy mountain top, Fin zigged when he meant to zag, and suffered a boo boo.

3 skull fractures, snapped left femur, walloped right hip, took a helicopter ride to the hospital...

When they repaired my hip, a nerve or nerves got severed, and I was told it could take a year to regenerate. My memory was a little on the iffy side at the time, but I don't recall being told that it might not recover.

The upper thigh and glute was numb for about 4 months.

In early rehab, if I laid down on my stomach and raised my feet into the air, my right leg would "cut off" around 45 degrees and simply fall off to my right side.

It was utterly bizarre to have control of my leg up to that certain elevation and then have it go completely dead.

The nerve(s) regenerated, feeling returned, and the leg works fine.

Regarding Jaylon Smith, he said the peroneal nerve was stretched and went to sleep, he's simply waiting for it to start firing again.

It doesn't seem the nerve needs to regenerate, it just has to wake up.

That seems like a pretty sure thing, but there's a reason Smith fell out of the first round.

How old where you at the time?

 

[Hoofbite]

This topic is going to end up like the Greg Hardy threads.

Countless posts about who knows more or who knows less with each update rekindling the debate.

 

[mcc2121]

Steelers LB Sean Spence Suffered severe Peroneal Nerve Damage

That taint good.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Sean Spence has a similar injury to Jaylon Smith. If you watch the videos of the two, they're almost exactly the same. Both developed foot drop as a result of peroneal nerve issues.

* August 30, 2012 -- Spence suffered a torn ACL and LCL and dislocated his kneecap during the final preseason game. More devastating was the damage to his peroneal nerve.

* February, 2013 -- Nerve doctors informed the Steelers that Spence will never be the same.

* April 25, 2013 -- Linebackers coach Keith Butler, just after drafting inside linebacker Vince Williams, told reporters, "It will be miraculous if (Spence) does come back. It will be miraculous if he comes back next year."

* August 7, 2013 -- I told a re-habbing Spence that one of these days he's going to make me a great story. "I know," he said.

* October 16, 2013 -- Spence practiced for the first time since the injury, and one of his trainers called his showing "phenomenal." But Spence broke a finger and his recovery was halted.

* September 28, 2014 -- Spence will start at the mack inside linebacker position against Tampa Bay in place of injured rookie Ryan Shazier.

http://www.scout.com/nfl/steelers/story/1454887-spence-tunnel-was-dark-for-a-long-time

Obviously, no two players are alike, but I have seen people say he will be ready by July, and I just don't feel like that is the case. This is the closest example of any player having a similar injury in the NFL.

First of all, SMith did not dislocate the knee cap.

Second, not all nerve injuries are the same. Can you tell us whether or not the nerve in this case was like Smiths where the exterior was intact and it was not elongated.

That is the key. This has two effects. It causes more scar tissue and it deviates the channel for regrowth.

Considering the kneecap dislocation and the location of the peroneal I doubt the nerve was intact.

edit: Cooper said that Smith's case was not severe. This case was severe nerve damage implying the exterior was not intact.

This case is not a good comparison.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

This topic is going to end up like the Greg Hardy threads.

Countless posts about who knows more or who knows less with each update rekindling the debate.

It's not hard to separate facts in either case. Every argument around here ends up like this though.

 

[movaughn88]

Guess what kids? Jaylon is a freak athlete, like a Peterson. The informed posters and doctors around here have dropped a ton of knowledge, but in the end, he's a freak and he will blow you all away. I'd rather be proved wrong than the guys who assume the worst.

 

[DandyDon1722]

* February, 2013 -- Nerve doctors informed the Steelers that Spence will never be the same.

And now he's starting for the Steelers?

Nuff said.

 

[SilverStarCowboy]

Once upon a time, whilst skiing ... there's a reason Smith fell out of the first round.

Nice story....there's a reason why Jaylon's not going on Injured Reserve.

 

[btcutter]

I understand the quandary.

I've gone back & forth on it.

I can see the pick. I can see choosing someone with less talent but with less risk too.

One of the factors that puts me on the side of "Yeah it was a good pick" is that you're dealing with a 32 team vacuum... And if you do everything every other team does... Well how do you expect to leapfrog over those other teams?

The "Old" Cowboys use to look for every available advantage and over time those advantages dissipated due to changes in league rules and other teams catching on to the Cowboys' ways. This pick allows Dallas to break way from the pack. A sold, yet unspectacular 2nd rounder will make some difference but if Smith comes back you're got a legit top-5 talent who can man the position for 10 years.

I like the risk.

Who knows exactly how this will play out. We certainly all wish the best for Smith and the Cowboys.

The issue is opportunity cost. High 2nd rounder could have yielded a very talented player for the Cowboys while Smith is sidelined for a year and may or may not play again....and not sure if 100% back to his old self when he recovers.

This is also a 4-12 team last year. We are what we are. We got plenty of holes to fill. If we were better then a luxury pick like this is fine. But we are not.

Trying to "outsmart" other teams is exactly what got us to this perennially .500 status. The Ravens, Pitts of the world have "boring" drafts but their players pans out. And as Sturm has shown on his article that our draft record after the 1st round has not been good (we knew that already).

 

[TwoCentPlain]

The knee of a second round raft pick. Has there ever been a more discussed knee in the history of the NFL? And it is only one week removed from the draft.

Nothing more to do now than just wait and see.

 

[RonSpringsdaman20]

I don't see the point of risking a high second rounder on a player that might recover. Well maybe if your team is loaded with talent on defense. That's not us. But that's just me.

But you are high ........ so cannot really trust your judgment.

lol

 

[Beast_from_East]

I don't see the point of risking a high second rounder on a player that might recover. Well maybe if your team is loaded with talent on defense. That's not us. But that's just me.

Because he might turn into a hall of fame caliber player.

Its like if I told you that you could draft Brian Urlacher, but he might not play his first year or two in the NFL.

You going to say "no thanks"?

 

[Hoofbite]

* February, 2013 -- Nerve doctors informed the Steelers that Spence will never be the same.

And now he's starting for the Steelers?

Nuff said.

So doctors can be wrong? I'm not sure you're doing anyone any favors here.

 

[Hoofbite]

The knee of a second round raft pick. Has there ever been a more discussed knee in the history of the NFL? And it is only one week removed from the draft.

Nothing more to do now than just wait and see.

In the history? Pretty sure there was a ton of discussion about how awesome Jerry Rice was for coming back so soon.

Of course, I doubt you were frequenting boards that were talking about it.

 

[Mountaineerfan]

 

[waldoputty]

First of all, SMith did not dislocate the knee cap.

Second, not all nerve injuries are the same. Can you tell us whether or not the nerve in this case was like Smiths where the exterior was intact and it was not elongated.

That is the key. This has two effects. It causes more scar tissue and it deviates the channel for regrowth.

Considering the kneecap dislocation and the location of the peroneal I doubt the nerve was intact.

edit: Cooper said that Smith's case was not severe. This case was severe nerve damage implying the exterior was not intact.

This case is not a good comparison.

Hey Fuzzy

I searched quite a bit for the description of Spence's injury. Could not find whether it was severed or more seriously injured.
I thought Smith's injury was also described as serious.
So seems like who knows...

Did you find something else definitive on Spence's nerve injury?
Thanks

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Hey Fuzzy

I searched quite a bit for the description of Spence's injury. Could not find whether it was severed or more seriously injured.
I thought Smith's injury was also described as serious.
So seems like who knows...

Did you find something else definitive on Spence's nerve injury?
Thanks

I was just looking. I read that Spence tore his LCL which allows the knee to dislocate pretty terribly. Nothing specific. Tried to look up the video which was described as gruesome but no dice. Jaylon's doesn't look that bad compared to others I have seen.

While Cooper says Smith’s nerve injury wasn’t in a more severe category and he has “a very good chance of the nerve recovering,” there is no way to be certain that’ll happen or speed up the process. Nerves regrow at a rate of about 1 inch per month after a one-month lag time, Cooper said, and the injured area is roughly 6 inches above the muscle, so Smith – 3½ months out from surgery – has at least several more months of wait-and-see ahead.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...fl-draft-notre-dame-injury-recovery/83489188/

 

[waldoputty]

I was just looking. I read that Spence tore his LCL which allows the knee to dislocate pretty terribly. Nothing specific. Tried to look up the video which was described as gruesome but no dice. Jaylon's doesn't look that bad compared to others I have seen.



http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...fl-draft-notre-dame-injury-recovery/83489188/

Yes, thanks anyways.

For me it is a simple decision.
Let's say you have a 50-50 chance (though it seems chances are better, knock on wood).
50% you are a potential generational player like Singletary, Lambert or Lewis.
In Smith's case, a sideline-sideline, hitting, blitzing, tackling machine.
Other 50% you get zero.
I would risk a high 2 round pick with that any time.

 

[Vinnie2u]

Because he might turn into a hall of fame caliber player.

Its like if I told you that you could draft Brian Urlacher, but he might not play his first year or two in the NFL.

You going to say "no thanks"?

But hindsight is 20/20.. That's like saying would you take Tom Brady with your first round pick the year he came out instead of the sixth...

 

[LittleD]

* February, 2013 -- Nerve doctors informed the Steelers that Spence will never be the same.

And now he's starting for the Steelers?

Nuff said.

Doctors are like professional economists. They all have educated opinions about the future and 99% of them are wrong each year. Usually,
1 out of a 100 will get it right but, the one that gets it right this year will most likely get it wrong next year.