Springbok Steven Kitshoff has shut down negative speculation about his neck surgery possibly ending his professional playing career.
The “Bomb Squad” star underwent a complicated procedure that saw doctors use a piece of his hip bone to “fuse” into his neck vertebrae.
STEVEN KITSHOFF SHUTS DOWN SPECULATION
On social media, rugby fans speculated over Steven Kitshoff’s extensive neck injury over the weekend.
X user @JGvanZyl_ZA tweeted of the Springbok: “The news from the doctor was not good. His rugby days are over“.
However, an official update from the player himself revealed otherwise.
Steven Kitshoff shared in a social media post that his operation was a “big success.”
Shutting down any commentary about his health and what it meant as a Springbok, he added: “It’s going to be a long recovery journey, but I’m excited for the future ahead.
Cautioning the public, he added: “Please trust me for updates on my progress and don’t believe any other sources. Here’s to healing!”
Steven also posted a clip of himself up and about, in good spirits.
WILL HE PLAY AGAIN?
While only time will tell if Steven Kitshoff’s neck surgery will affect or even end his career, it’s clear he is committed to healing and recovery.
According to Stormers assistant coach Dawie Snyman, the club are also taking the player’s recovery one day at a time.
He said in a press conference: “We haven’t spoken to the specialist or gotten any feedback from his doctors.
“I actually went to him just as he came out of surgery, just spent a bit of time with him. No update in terms of his situation. The first thing is that we want him to recover, and we’ll take it from there.”
WHAT INJURY DID SPRINGBOK SUSTAIN?
Earlier this year, Steven Kitshoff injured his neck during a Western Province Currie Cup game against the Griquas.
The 32-year-old claimed he heard a “snap” in his neck during a scrum. He later confirmed the injury had affected his C1 and C2 vertebrae.
According to the South African Spine Society, neck fusion is surgical technique in which one or more of the vertebrae of the spine are “fused so that motion no longer occurs between them.”
The surgery involves a bone graft, either using bone from the patient or from a “bone bank.”
In Steven Kitshoff’s case, a piece of bone was extracted from his hip.
Although there is no timeframe for the recovery period, active rehabilitation may occur four weeks after the surgery.
DO YOU THINK STEVEN KITSHOFF WILL RETURN TO SPRINGBOKS, STORMERS?
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