Former AFL star Wayne Carey says the neck injury that forced him into early retirement has deteriorated, with surgery now considered unavoidable.
The 54-year-old revealed he has experienced worsening symptoms in recent weeks, including numbness in both hands and repeated falls.
“My left hand is basically numb, right hand going numb, I’m getting shooting pains, all that sort of stuff,” he said on Sam Newman’s podcast You Cannot Be Serious.
“I’ve fallen over a couple of times in the last couple of weeks.”
Carey said he initially dismissed the incidents as part of ageing before seeking specialist advice for the first time in more than a decade.
“I thought it was just me maybe getting on in years… but two days ago I went and saw a neurosurgeon,” he said.
After reviewing new scans alongside older imaging, he was told surgery would be necessary.
“I will definitely need an operation,” he said, adding he hopes the procedure will restore feeling in his hands.
Carey was forced to retire in 2004 after suffering a serious cervical spine injury, with doctors warning he risked permanent paralysis if he continued playing.
The injury, sustained late in his career, brought an early end to his time in the AFL.
Beyond his neck injury, Carey has also dealt with ongoing physical challenges linked to playing the sport, including multiple shoulder reconstructions and widespread arthritis.
“My strength and range of movement is gone… numerous other parts of my body are severely arthritic,” he said.
Widely regarded as one of the AFL’s greatest players, Carey played 272 games and kicked 727 goals across a 16-season career with North Melbourne and Adelaide before retiring.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
