Rutgers Football: New Hope Arises for Eric LeGrand As Injury Is Reclassified

Things were looking on the bleak side for Eric LeGrand when his spinal injury was diagnosed as complete a few weeks ago.

A complete spinal chord injury means that “there is no movement or sensation below the level of the injury.”

On the other hand, an incomplete spinal chord injury indicates that “the ability of the spinal cord to convey messages to or from the brain is not completely lost.”

In other words, patients with incomplete injuries “retain some motor or sensory function below the injury.”

This is obviously terrific news, especially after no one heard any update on LeGrand's progress for weeks.

Steven Kirshblum, the medical director of the Kessler Institute where LeGrand is being treated, noted that “each case is individualized.”

Essentially, Kirshblum is saying that there are few instances where a patient is guaranteed either complete paralysis or a full recovery. 

The latest news on LeGrand specifically is that he is now breathing without a ventilator, an apparatus the young man had needed since suffering his injury on October 16th.

LeGrand is also capable of full speech, and perhaps even more inspiring, laughter.

The LeGrand family, and Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano, were obviously pleased with the news, but recognized that Eric has a long road ahead and still needs our prayers.

Fans, friends, and family alike are anxiously waiting where LeGrand falls on the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scale.

The scale ranges from A to E, with A being a devastating complete injury, and E being completely normal function.

Andrew Hecht, the director of the NFL’s Spine Care Program For Retired Players, hypothesized that LeGrand likely has either an ASIA B or an ASIA C injury.

Bear in mind that Hecht has not treated LeGrand directly, but a patient with an ASIA B injury has a 20 to 30 percent chance of a full recovery in the first year after the injury occurred.

Conversely, a patient with an ASIA C injury has more than the double the chance of recovery. 

Within the first year of treatment after the injury, the likelihood of a full recovery is a very encouraging 60 to 70 percent for ASIA C patients.

Since being capable of breathing on his own, LeGrand has gotten a visit from former Penn State football player Adam Taliaferro.

Taliaferro suffered a spinal chord injury on the field during the 2000 season, and is currently fully capable of walking on his own.

He was lucky enough to walk just eight months after his injury, but notes that he has some trouble still with “quick movements.”

This was a tremendous gesture by Taliaferro to help further raise LeGrand’s spirits.

While LeGrand has constantly been described as upbeat and positive during this tough time, he has to be feeling even better about his situation after the events of this past week.