OT: USC RB Stafon Johnson injured in weight room
"The initial report suggests that Johnson was doing some sort of weight lifting when one of the bars fell or snapped and landed on Johnson's throat. The report also mentioned the fact that Johnson was coughing up blood and bleeding from the nose."
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/263046-uscs-star-running-back-stafon…
September 28th, 2009 at 7:06 PM ^
Thoughts and prayers to Stafon and family. Get well soon.
September 28th, 2009 at 7:08 PM ^
I heard that on ESPNU. Sounds terrible. I hope he's ok.
September 28th, 2009 at 7:17 PM ^
Always lift with a spotter.
September 28th, 2009 at 7:34 PM ^
He was.
"It does appear that Johnson was bench-pressing with a spotter at the time and the weight slipped and landed on Johnson's throat."
September 28th, 2009 at 7:43 PM ^
I wasn't meaning to imply that he wasn't. Everyone take it easy. I just see people at the gym all the time lifting with really bad technique and without spotters and it makes my stomach turn. These stories just are a reminder how things things can go wrong even when you're doing everything right.
September 28th, 2009 at 8:30 PM ^
This is why you ALWAYS, ALWAYS lift with proper form. I have no clue HOW in the world he dropped the bar on his damn throat though.
September 28th, 2009 at 11:17 PM ^
Maybe an incline/decline press is the likely culprit? The awkward angles to rack the weights could have contributed to such an accident. Either way, best wishes for a speedy recovery to Stafon.
September 28th, 2009 at 7:22 PM ^
I hope everything is alright. You never want to see someone injured like that. A kid lifting without a spotter was killed like that a few years ago
September 28th, 2009 at 7:26 PM ^
Just heard on the radio that the injury is not life threatening but may very well be career threatening. Horrible accident and a real shame for a very talented kid. Really hoping he comes out alright.
September 28th, 2009 at 7:29 PM ^
I just heard on the radio out here in LA, that the injury might require surgery. As you can imagine USC is being pretty tight lipped about this right now.
September 28th, 2009 at 7:29 PM ^
Sounded really bad from what I heard on TV - you hope he recovers. The youtubes are filled with workouts gone wrong, and you have to figure he was lifting significantly more weight than the average person.
September 28th, 2009 at 7:38 PM ^
Update: Sounds like he had emergency surgery.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4512778
September 28th, 2009 at 7:54 PM ^
that's awful, i hope he is ok and can still pursue football
September 28th, 2009 at 8:07 PM ^
I hope he is ok sounds gruesome
September 28th, 2009 at 8:55 PM ^
hope he can come back.
injured my knee lifting in a weight room, its terrible.
September 28th, 2009 at 8:57 PM ^
I'd have to imagine that everyone who bench presses has thought about this type of injury, or maybe its just me. Very scary though.
I hope he gets well quickly and doesn't have any long term physical problems because of this accident.
September 28th, 2009 at 9:06 PM ^
I've never once thought about it. The bar should be touching near your sternum, not your throat.
September 28th, 2009 at 9:15 PM ^
I always figured if it dropped it could hit anywhere and roll to the throat. That's a scary accident and here is to him getting better.
September 28th, 2009 at 10:55 PM ^
at its apex.
September 28th, 2009 at 9:01 PM ^
lets just hope hes okay and can get back onto the field soon.... hate to see a great talent like that loose his career...
September 28th, 2009 at 9:05 PM ^
and makes football miniscule. Here's to a speedy recovery.
September 28th, 2009 at 9:17 PM ^
Weight room accidents can be far worse than many on the field. I remember in HS where a teammate over extended on a reverse leg exercise (cant remember the name these days - its the one where your on your back lying down, kind of doint a squat with your legs on weights).
It was one of the 1st days of training, the kid was new, and the coaching staff failed to provide proper technique on the machine. He overextended, putting his legs to a fully straight lock position, of one of his legs gave way and pretty much snapped. Yound kid trying to be macho + a coaching staff that didnt prep the kids enough = a debilitating injury. These days the staff wouldve been fired and sued to oblivion (perhaps overkill) - those days - they kept their job - amazing.
September 28th, 2009 at 10:10 PM ^
Out of curiosity, how much would an elite RB like Johnson be bench pressing?
September 29th, 2009 at 8:24 AM ^
They said he was benching 275 lbs when the bar slipped and fell on his throat. I remember reading a story about Willis McGahee a few years ago that he could bench over 350 lbs and 225 lbs 20+ times.
September 28th, 2009 at 10:48 PM ^
Looks like he just had emergency surgery per ESPN.
September 28th, 2009 at 10:51 PM ^
One of the most painful memories I have of high school sports was when I dropped the bar on my chest benching and felt like my lungs were crushed. I can't even imagine what having it fall on your throat (possibly bruising it?!) would feel like.
September 29th, 2009 at 8:34 AM ^
It crushed his larynx. 275 pounds falling 3 feet or so onto your neck (not as structurally sound as your chest, or as fortified by muscle) does a hell of a lot more than bruise it. This is sort of terrifying.
September 28th, 2009 at 10:57 PM ^
This is not good - I wish the best for this kid and I hope the doctors did the best that they could.
September 29th, 2009 at 11:35 AM ^
He got lucky.. it could have been a lot worse.. Had the crushing trauma extended to his spine, he could be either dead or paralyzed..