Shoulder injuries are serious and can be career-ending. McCoy’s injury roused speculation from fans and sports media about McCoy’s future with the NFL, which prompted Texas to release the statement to set the record straight and quiet any concerns that McCoy’s injury would sideline his football career.

According to the statement: “Colt sustained a nerve injury involving his right (throwing) shoulder that prevented him from returning to the game. The injury caused numbness and weakness in his arm that prevented him from throwing with the strength or accuracy he needed. He wanted to go back into the game but with the weakness he was having in the shoulder, we couldn’t clear him to do that.

“The weakness in his shoulder also put him at risk of greater injury. From the time of the injury, we were continually treating and re-evaluating him but he wasn’t able to regain the strength he needed to get back on the field.”

SOURCE: Pain Pumps › Texas releases statement updating McCoy shoulder injury

Bradford wowed Sooners fans with his talent and his humility. Following last season’s successes, Bradford turned down what many expected would be millions of dollars from the NFL and opted instead to stick with his college team for another year. However, during the first game of the season against Brigham Young University, Bradford suffered a shoulder sprain. He missed three more games before aggravating the shoulder injury more in a loss to Texas. His decision to have the season-ending shoulder surgery prompted questions from media about whether he regretted his decision not to go pro last year.

“No. Absolutely 100 percent no regrets,” he said at a press conference announcing his decision. He later elaborated about his decision to stay: “Considering this is where I grew up and this is where I dreamed about playing, to put this in the past is extremely tough. I’ve been blessed to be here. The past 3 1/2 years have been 3 1/2 of the best years of my life. I wouldn’t trade a day of it.”

Shoulder surgery will put Bradford in a difficult situation with the NFL, as he will have to convince recruiters that he can make a full recovery. As of now, Bradford has until mid-January to declare for the draft.

Source: Tulsa World

SOURCE: Pain Pumps › Bradford to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery

But during a game in October 2006, McKeown’s left shoulder was injured while trying to recover a fumble. Doctors implanted the catheter of a On-Q PainBuster pain pump manufactured by I-Flow into his shoulder joint. For up to 72 hours, medication gradually dripped into his shoulder and slowly began eating away at the cartilage.

But McKeown was tough. He rehabbed quickly and bulked up to 300 pounds. He lead the team in weightlifting statistics, bench pressing a maximum of 460 pounds. His chances at making to the NFL one day seemed promising.

Even as he worked out, he ignored the burning pain in his shoulder, refusing to admit to anyone how badly it hurt. And then he injured his shoulder again. Once again, he was put on an I-Flow pain pump that dripped medication into his shoulder joint. A follow up MRI revealed a horrible mess. The promising athlete’s shoulder cartilage had been worn down so badly that repairing it was impossible. McKeown’s hopes for a professional football career were ruined.

McKeown is now suing I-Flow, the manufacturer of the pain pump, after he and his doctor learned that a 2006 study had revealed that by inserting the pain pump’s catheter in McKeown’s shoulder joint instead of the muscle tissue, the medicine essentially destroyed his shoulder. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had granted approval to have the pain pump’s catheters inserted into the muscle tissue, but denied manufacturers’ request to instruct surgeons to place the catheters in the shoulder joint. As a result, countless patients have suffered similar fates as McKeown.

Source:
Cincinnati.com

SOURCE: Pain Pumps › Athlete’s hopes of playing pro ball dashed by shoulder pain pump