What is cervical cord neurapraxia? WWE star Randy Orton’s injury explained

The latest episode of WWE SmackDown was a night to forget for Randy Orton. Following his suspended match with Kevin Owens at Crown Jewel, which ended with KO diving onto The Viper through a table, Orton was out for revenge on SmackDown.

However, things took a drastic turn when the former friends-turned-rivals came face-to-face. In a shocking move, Owens delivered an unauthorized piledriver to Orton, leaving him in severe pain. The Viper had to be stretchered and taken to the hospital via ambulance. WWE has now announced that Orton has been diagnosed with Cervical Cord Neurapraxia (CCN). It was also revealed that there was no set timetable for his return.

The WWE Universe has since been concerned about the extent of this injury. CCN is a spinal cord injury in the cervical region, causing a temporary loss of motor and sensory functions. Recovery time for CCN varies based on the severity. It could range from a few days to several weeks.

It remains to be seen how Orton’s condition progresses in the coming weeks.

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14-time WWE Champion recently opened up about the struggles he faced following a career-threatening injury

Before Randy Orton made his triumphant return at Survivor Series 2023, his future in wrestling seemed uncertain. Many wondered if he would ever return to the ring after undergoing back fusion surgery to address a severe back issue.

Recently, Orton appeared on Sheamus' Celtic Warrior Workouts YouTube channel. In the latest workout video, he opened up about the mental struggles he faced during that period. He shared that for six months, he believed his wrestling career was over. He said that it was the lowest he had ever been.

"There was like six months where I thought that my wrestling career was completely over. Man, we were talking about mental state of mind and everything. It was the lowest I had ever been. That's who I am, you know? Wrestling, it's all I know. My back was so bad that I thought that was it for like six months," Orton said.

It will be interesting to see what the Stamford-based company has planned for Randy Orton moving forward.