Big E’s Broken Neck Could Be A Career Ending Injury

Big E had to leap many hurdles over the years during his time in WWE. After a solid run on NXT, he was called up to the main roster but was eventually lost in the shuffle. He would then find success on the main roster as a multi-time tag team champion and then the WWE Champion. Now his career has hit a major setback.

Fans of Big E were absolutely horrified after this week’s episode of Friday Night Smackdown. Big E was involved in a scary bump where he was dumped on his head by Ridge Holland.

Big E had to be stretchered out as fans feared the worst. Big E then revealed that he suffered a broken neck due to the bump. The former WWE Champion then revealed that he will not require any surgery for his neck injury. Sadly, Big E also added that his C1 and C6 vertebrae are fractured.

According to former WWE physician Dr. David Cho, a C1 fracture ‘often heals incompletely’ and that might spell the end of Big E’s WWE career for good.

The C1 fracture is most dangerous as the top cervical vertebrae is a ring and is commonly associated with immediate death or complete paralysis. Thankfully the fracture was not displaced and he will not need surgery. However, this type of fracture often heals incompletely and it may mean the end of his wrestling career.

The C6 fracture is likely a compression injury to the vertebral body. This likely requires immobilization but not surgery. One would anticipate a minimum of three-month recovery with return to full function and activities for this lower cervical injury.

Previously, I had worked regularly with WWE as a consulting physician for events and performing surgery. I can assure you the stunts that are executed are real and come with risk, even though some consider the sport to be “fake.”

We wish Big E all the best in his path to recovery and really hope his career does not come to an end due to this unfortunate injury as Big E still has several years left in the tank and can achieve so much more than he already has.

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