Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Kaka feared he would never play again
Brazilian Kaka feared he would never play again after breaking his neck in a freak swimming pool accident.
He recalled: “In October 2000, I was at my grandfather’s house in a small town in Brazil called Caldas Novas.
“I was sliding into his swimming pool but fell awkwardly and hit my head on the bottom of the pool.
“I twisted my neck but did not realise at the time that I had broken my sixth cervical bone.
“I went back to my club, Sao Paulo, the following day and actually trained for a couple of days.
But I was in such pain the club eventually sent me to hospital for tests.
“The doctor was asking me whether my limbs were feeling numb and I told him I was OK.
“It was only then he revealed the serious nature of my injury.
“He was trying not to frighten me but admitted I was very lucky to have been able to train for two days with a broken neck and not suffer permanent damage.
He recalled: “In October 2000, I was at my grandfather’s house in a small town in Brazil called Caldas Novas.
“I was sliding into his swimming pool but fell awkwardly and hit my head on the bottom of the pool.
“I twisted my neck but did not realise at the time that I had broken my sixth cervical bone.
“I went back to my club, Sao Paulo, the following day and actually trained for a couple of days.
But I was in such pain the club eventually sent me to hospital for tests.
“The doctor was asking me whether my limbs were feeling numb and I told him I was OK.
“It was only then he revealed the serious nature of my injury.
“He was trying not to frighten me but admitted I was very lucky to have been able to train for two days with a broken neck and not suffer permanent damage.
