An Indianapoils Chiropractor’s Take on the Future of Peyton Manning
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
I love Peyton Manning. Period. Paragraph. And like everyone else in the world, I hope the future of Peyton Manning is bright…
…I hope it’s as bright as the Super Bowl champ has ever been! The question at hand is will it even be dim candle light???
Let’s go over some background information on the infamous surgery process:
Peyton Manning had a single level anterior spinal fusion. Anterior means front side of the neck. The surgery involves making an incision at the front of the neck, without cutting any muscles. Have you noticed the scar… if you’ve seen Peyton on the sidelines?
The disc is very carefully removed from the nerve and spinal cord. The surgeon then fills the open disc space with a bone graft. The graft acts as a bridge between the two vertebrae, creating a spinal fusion. Metal plates and screws are often used to hold the bone graft and vertebrae together.
This kind of surgery is no big deal to a spinal surgeon…he most likely does 1 or 2 of these a day. He can probably do it with his eyes closed.
Manning had a “pinched nerve.” What does that mean? It usually means a disc herniation or an arthritic neck has caused irritation to the nerve. This can be pretty painful with serious symptoms.
Quick review of the life and times of an Indianapolis chiropractor:
We see this kind of case walk through our doors twice a week or so…they are easy to point out. Pain, numbness in the arm, sometimes tingling in the fingers, maybe a little bit weak.
I’m still fresh in practice (little over a year) but don’t get me wrong here…I’ve probably treated at least 50 people in the last year with these kinds of symptoms…
…and I’m yet to have 1 go to surgery.
I’m not bragging. It’s the research that has proven manipulation outperforms other treatments all day.
We use manipulation combined with rehabilitation to correct faulty mechanics.
The Colts have a team chiropractor but I would imagine he had no say in the direction of Manning’s treatment…he most likely took a back seat to the “big wig” orthopedists the Colts pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to every year. “These docs know what they’re talking about.” Hmm…I wonder?
Back to Manning’s Surgery…
Peyton had already had two other failed attempts at getting rid of this “pinched nerve.” The infamous third surgery is the reason for writing this…I don’t know how bad it really was…Anyone who hasn’t evaluated Peyton doesn’t know. But this one was different…
The third surgery was supposed to be routine with 8-12 weeks of recovery…and eventually a full recovery. And normal average Joes usually return to work in 10 days. Obviously, average Joes are not elite NFL quarterbacks.
Something was definitely different about this third surgery…did the surgeon hit a nerve with the scalpel while cutting through to get to the spine? Who really knows?
Why else would Peyton go to Europe to get a stem cell procedure to regenerate a nerve?
This usually does not happen in the normal rehabilitation process unless you’re Peyton Manning the world’ best quarterback in my opinion.
This is what concerns me about the future of Peyton Manning and his return to football.
The C7 (spinal level) nerve innervates the triceps muscle which is the muscle in question. Without strength in the triceps muscle it is virtually impossible to throw a football with velocity and distance of a normal Peyton Manning.
ESPN.com recently reported the Colts got good news from the team doctors.
“X-ray and CT examination of the surgical area shows that the fusion performed in September has achieved firm fixation,” Watkins said. With a firm fixation Peyton can start light workouts.
I’m hoping and praying just as you are that the nerve regenerates… but in my studies I have never heard of a nerve regenerating in a short amount of time or maybe even at all. This is a controversial subject for many doctors.
Maybe the good lord above will answer all of our prayers and grant Peyton Manning one last shot at another Super Bowl. Will it be with the Colts?
I’ll do my part…will you do yours?
To Your Health and Prosperity,
Dr. Steve Smiley
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