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Shazier had surgery

Back injuries are no joke, and neither is back surgery. At this point, football should be the last thing on his mind, and the last thing on our minds. We want him to be healthy, first and foremost. Kid is tough and a fighter. He'll be back. If not playing, then hopefully in a mentorship/coaching role.
 
Hope he is able to live a full and healthy life. I do believe his playing career is over due to this and if not, I certainly wouldn't blame him for retiring anyway. The dude was coming up on his payday this off-season. This just shows how tough the game is and how cruel life can be. I sure hope he can play again but, if not, I wish him nothing but health and success in the next phase of his life.
 
That really sucks. Just hope he's able to live a regular life. Man, this season has certainly been way out of the ordinary.
 
Its too early to jump to any conclusions about his career... believe it or not, athletes in contact sports have played after fising bones in their spine before... manning is one... i think this is what Kris letang just had done last season too...

Having said that, I wouldn't play with it
 
The information given ONLY said that he had spinal stabilization surgery...nothing else.
While I hope and pray Ryan's future is exactly what he would want it to be, it IS QUITE possible that the surgery is done in an effort to speed recovery.

This is often the case in trauma injuries of the spine. The surgery could have been as simple as inserting a few temporary screws to keep the muscles from torquing his spine because they will be in spasm from the impact. Sometimes it's done to let it heal in the proper position, not the "spasm" position. The temporary stabilization speeds recovery and does not require the same things as a full surgery. It's arthroscopic to keep everything aligned without having to cut through the muscle around the spine. Is this what he had? We don't know because they aren't saying.

It was REALLY irresponsible for Dr. Alessi to make the comments he did about him being in really bad shape and perhaps not playing football again! He doesn't know what they ACTUALLY did to him either. COULD be a full fusion with plates and screws OR it could be a normal procedure to relieve pressure caused from swelling and spasm from pinching the nerve canal. We don't know.
 
By all accounts Shazier is a great guy and an asset to the community. I could care less about his football future I just hope he can live a normal and productive life. I think whatever he does in life he will be a great success, the man exudes class and intelligence.
 
https://247sports.com/nfl/pittsburg...ates-recovery-time-for-Ryan-Shazier-111916151

Ryan Shazier seems to be out for the season after having spinal surgery following the injury he suffered in Monday's Pittsburgh Steelers victory, but with the news that his career might be in jeopardy, fans are anxiously awaiting any update on his prognosis. Thankfully, one former NFL team doctor has a fairly positive outlook on the situation and Shazier's long term prospects.

Pro Football Doc has 17 years of experience as an NFL team doctor, and he wrote about Shazier's situation in depth for the San Diego Union Tribune. His guess is that the surgery that Shazier underwent was fusion surgery with a combination of metal screws, rods, a cage and a bone graft. He believes it was not done as an emergency measure, but to prevent future damage to his spine.

What is the prognosis on spinal fusion surgery? He believes it would take him four-to-six months to recover. That would make playing this season an impossibility, but would have him back at full strength between April and June. That gives him plenty of time to work back into football shape before next season starts if his recovery goes as planned. Here is how he explained the surgery fully:

"The necessity for the procedure indicates part of Shazier's spine was unstable and involved bone, ligament and/or disc disruption. This was always a possible cause for the spinal cord insult that resulted in at least temporary loss of feeling and movement in his legs.

The spinal column houses and protects the spinal cord. Disruption of the spinal canal is what puts the cord at risk. The most likely scenario is a burst fracture at the thoracolumbar spine where the vertebral body was compressed.

Emergency surgery was not needed, as the cord was not being actively compromised. But Wednesday night’s surgery was almost certainly to prevent future damage to the spinal cord."

While this does rule out a return for Shazier this season, the news is extremely welcome overall. If Shazier's chances of returning to a football field next season are high, then it seems like he has a very good chance at retaining his quality of life. Obviously he may not ever fully be the same, but considering how scary the injury looked on television combined with the reports from soon after about him not having feeling in his lower body, this would be a great outcome.

Shazier's recovery is the top priority at the moment. Ensuring he is as healthy as possible, regardless of football considerations, is what matters. This doctor's opinion paints a positive picture in that regard.

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Author

Sam Quinn @nfl_steelers247

Great news if it's accurate
 
Just read an article that 50 has surgery and the outcome isn’t favorable for a return to football. Possibly ever! This is truly sad and now I pray he just have a norm life if this is the case. I will post the article once I can get it back on my screen.


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whatever happens down the road, i just wish for Ryan to have a good quality of life, that he's at peace with whatever may come, and that he and his family are happy and successful. He's a quality MAN first and foremost, and if he never suits up in black and gold again, I'm proud to say he was, and will always be, a Pittsburgh Steeler
 
Doctor on Shazier: 'He might not play football again'
Dave Biddle - 3 hours ago 35

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier suffered a spinal cord injury on Monday in Cincinnati that required surgery.

He was able to return to Pittsburgh on Wednesday, but the news is far from good.

According to Yahoo Sports, neurologist Dr. Anthony Alessi is pessimistic about Shazier's football future.

“It’s not good,” Alessi said. “We’re not to going to see him [play] again this season. He may not play football again.”

Here is an excerpt of the piece from Yahoo Sports:

"Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier underwent surgery on Wednesday night at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, the team announced on Thursday afternoon.

"The brief statement, posted on Twitter by Steelers director of communications Burt Lauten, reads, “Last night, UPMC neurosurgeons and Pittsburgh Steelers team physicians Drs. David Okonkwo and Joseph Maroon performed spinal stabilization surgery on Ryan Shazier to address his spinal injury.”

"Shortly after the Steelers made news of the surgery public, ESPN’s Michele Steele spoke with neurologist Dr. Anthony Alessi, who consults with the NFL Players’ Association about what he makes of the surgery.

“It’s not good,” Alessi said. “We’re not to going to see him [play] again this season. He may not play football again.”

"Alessi went on to say that the stabilization surgery is needed when “bones around his spinal cord are dislocated. This is a more severe injury [than a contusion]. This is a much more severe situation on our hands than we thought.”

From the Bucknuts website.

Shazier starred at Ohio State from 2011-13. He was a first-round draft by the Steelers in 2014 and quickly established himself as one of the top young 'backers in the league.

In 2016, Shazier was named to the Pro Bowl following a season in which he had 55 solo tackles, 32 assisted tackles, 3.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and 3 interceptions.


Sent from my iPhone using Steeler Nation mobile app
 
My prayers goes out to my man Ryan Shazier and the rest of the Steelers team, I am a Steelers fan for life and truly believe that this is our year, so keep fighting hard Steelers nation, everyone of you are forever in my prayers....

Sent from my 5049Z using Steeler Nation mobile app
 
^Well said. He is a quality man by all accounts and a man who genuinely loves football, so if he can't buckle the chinstrap on Sundays I'd bet he'll be roaming the sidelines in some form of a coaching role.
 
I do pray for Ryan. Reminds me so much of Gabe Rivera back in the dark ages of the 80s. Promising DT who was in a car accident and paralyzed and never played again.
 
keslerclan said:
The information given ONLY said that he had spinal stabilization surgery...nothing else.
While I hope and pray Ryan's future is exactly what he would want it to be, it IS QUITE possible that the surgery is done in an effort to speed recovery.

This is often the case in trauma injuries of the spine. The surgery could have been as simple as inserting a few temporary screws to keep the muscles from torquing his spine because they will be in spasm from the impact. Sometimes it's done to let it heal in the proper position, not the "spasm" position. The temporary stabilization speeds recovery and does not require the same things as a full surgery. It's arthroscopic to keep everything aligned without having to cut through the muscle around the spine. Is this what he had? We don't know because they aren't saying.

It was REALLY irresponsible for Dr. Alessi to make the comments he did about him being in really bad shape and perhaps not playing football again! He doesn't know what they ACTUALLY did to him either. COULD be a full fusion with plates and screws OR it could be a normal procedure to relieve pressure caused from swelling and spasm from pinching the nerve canal. We don't know.
Click to expand...

Interesting he hasn't been put on season ending IR yet. I would think with full fusion an immediate placement on IR would occur without hesitation, for what purpose would you delay that? Keeping Ryan in prayers for a full recovery, and more important than football is that he can recover and walk again.
 
Juju's suspension opened a roster spot for Spence. Id imagine they make the move next week.
 
Again, its all speculation at this point... but this procedure can be done and the player return to playing if they choose... as with the case of manning or letang, it's possible that one injury led to the discovery of a potential larger problem.... in any case it at least sounds as if he isn't going to be wheelchair bound.. and that the most important thing
 
They haven't told us much of anything, haven't answered our main question, can he move his lower extremities?

Can he move his legs, wiggle his toes?


That's what everyone wants to know.....will he be able to walk again.
 
Again, prayers and Blessings his and his family's way.


Salute the nation
 
awboatguy said:
Doctor on Shazier: 'He might not play football again'
Dave Biddle - 3 hours ago 35

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier suffered a spinal cord injury on Monday in Cincinnati that required surgery.

He was able to return to Pittsburgh on Wednesday, but the news is far from good.

According to Yahoo Sports, neurologist Dr. Anthony Alessi is pessimistic about Shazier's football future.

“It’s not good,” Alessi said. “We’re not to going to see him [play] again this season. He may not play football again.”

Here is an excerpt of the piece from Yahoo Sports:

"Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier underwent surgery on Wednesday night at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, the team announced on Thursday afternoon.

"The brief statement, posted on Twitter by Steelers director of communications Burt Lauten, reads, “Last night, UPMC neurosurgeons and Pittsburgh Steelers team physicians Drs. David Okonkwo and Joseph Maroon performed spinal stabilization surgery on Ryan Shazier to address his spinal injury.”

"Shortly after the Steelers made news of the surgery public, ESPN’s Michele Steele spoke with neurologist Dr. Anthony Alessi, who consults with the NFL Players’ Association about what he makes of the surgery.

“It’s not good,” Alessi said. “We’re not to going to see him [play] again this season. He may not play football again.”

"Alessi went on to say that the stabilization surgery is needed when “bones around his spinal cord are dislocated. This is a more severe injury [than a contusion]. This is a much more severe situation on our hands than we thought.”

From the Bucknuts website.

Shazier starred at Ohio State from 2011-13. He was a first-round draft by the Steelers in 2014 and quickly established himself as one of the top young 'backers in the league.

In 2016, Shazier was named to the Pro Bowl following a season in which he had 55 solo tackles, 32 assisted tackles, 3.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and 3 interceptions.


Sent from my iPhone using Steeler Nation mobile app
Click to expand...

That doctor doesn't have his medical records to know exactly what things look like. It is speculation and he is giving a educated guess on the outcome.
Maybe he is right but Shazier is going to have top therapists and doctors helping him. I believe at the very least and most importantly he will live a normal life.
I'm not ruling out his return next season though.
Prayers to you and your fam Shazier!
 
If it were just spinal fusion they wouldn't say he might not play again. I had spinal fusion surgery in Jun 2012. It was the result of 20+ years of a shifting vertebrae that deteriorated the disk to the point of bone on bone. My disk was gone. By January 2013 I deployed to Afghanistan and used the time to rehabilitate, and after 4 months I was running 2 miles a day. This was at age 46.

My back today is the best it's been since I was a teenager, and if I were a young man I would have no restrictions. I golf with less pain than I ever have. It's strong.

Here's hoping Ryan can get better and come back next year.
 
warriors42 said:
https://247sports.com/nfl/pittsburg...ates-recovery-time-for-Ryan-Shazier-111916151

Ryan Shazier seems to be out for the season after having spinal surgery following the injury he suffered in Monday's Pittsburgh Steelers victory, but with the news that his career might be in jeopardy, fans are anxiously awaiting any update on his prognosis. Thankfully, one former NFL team doctor has a fairly positive outlook on the situation and Shazier's long term prospects.

Pro Football Doc has 17 years of experience as an NFL team doctor, and he wrote about Shazier's situation in depth for the San Diego Union Tribune. His guess is that the surgery that Shazier underwent was fusion surgery with a combination of metal screws, rods, a cage and a bone graft. He believes it was not done as an emergency measure, but to prevent future damage to his spine.

What is the prognosis on spinal fusion surgery? He believes it would take him four-to-six months to recover. That would make playing this season an impossibility, but would have him back at full strength between April and June. That gives him plenty of time to work back into football shape before next season starts if his recovery goes as planned. Here is how he explained the surgery fully:

"The necessity for the procedure indicates part of Shazier's spine was unstable and involved bone, ligament and/or disc disruption. This was always a possible cause for the spinal cord insult that resulted in at least temporary loss of feeling and movement in his legs.

The spinal column houses and protects the spinal cord. Disruption of the spinal canal is what puts the cord at risk. The most likely scenario is a burst fracture at the thoracolumbar spine where the vertebral body was compressed.

Emergency surgery was not needed, as the cord was not being actively compromised. But Wednesday night’s surgery was almost certainly to prevent future damage to the spinal cord."

While this does rule out a return for Shazier this season, the news is extremely welcome overall. If Shazier's chances of returning to a football field next season are high, then it seems like he has a very good chance at retaining his quality of life. Obviously he may not ever fully be the same, but considering how scary the injury looked on television combined with the reports from soon after about him not having feeling in his lower body, this would be a great outcome.

Shazier's recovery is the top priority at the moment. Ensuring he is as healthy as possible, regardless of football considerations, is what matters. This doctor's opinion paints a positive picture in that regard.

Keep up to date with the 6X lwoB repuS champions! Click here to receive your FREE newsletter!
Author

Sam Quinn @nfl_steelers247

Great news if it's accurate
Click to expand...

Regarding the stated status of RS's surgery as a non-emergency procedure, I can assure the group that Dr. Joe Maroon at age 77.6 years is not anxious to perform elective surgery in the evening hours. Additionally, RS was air lifted that day to UPMC from UC. Both of these factors appear to indicate that at least a degree of urgency was employed in RS's care and treatment.
 
SteelerSask said:
Juju's suspension opened a roster spot for Spence. Id imagine they make the move next week.
Click to expand...

They don't have to make a move, just IR Shazier, and they don't have to cut anyone until Gilbert comes back. Unless there is another injury...
 
Steelers17 said:
Regarding the stated status of RS's surgery as a non-emergency procedure, I can assure the group that Dr. Joe Maroon at age 77.6 years is not anxious to perform elective surgery in the evening hours. Additionally, RS was air lifted that day to UPMC from UC. Both of these factors appear to indicate that at least a degree of urgency was employed in RS's care and treatment.
Click to expand...

While I agree to an extent air lifting is fairly common now a days. Ambulance would have been longer and probably rougher / more uncomfortable. As for the surgery maybe the swelling was too bad that they could not see what was going on exactly. Once they saw the damage they wanted to take care of it ASAP. On a side note an almost 78 yr old surgeon is kinda scary...

I know a few people who have spinal fusions and it seems to be hit or miss. One will say never get any back surgery and others will say its the best thing they did. Using the Tiger Woods example he has had multiple back surgeries w/o success and finally got a fusion and claims he is now pain free. He played some pretty good golf in his return. I do think it is concerning that they have not mentioned what type of movements he has. There have been a lot of close calls in the NFL and they almost always release info right away about regaining feeling / movement. The lack of info is scary in this situation. People talk about him playing again, but we dont even know if the guy can move his legs let alone walk or play football. In any case if I were Ryan I would definitely retire regardless. I just hope they are being extra cautious in this case. Hopefully there will be some good news in another couple days
 
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