Jonathan Adams sustained a serious spinal cord injury on the rugby field while playing for Belhar RFC against Stellenbosch University on 18 August, but is making great progress with some help from DHL Western Province staff.

Thanks to “text book” treatment and the fact that the BokSmart (National rugby safety programme) protocol were followed to the tee – he is set to make a full recovery.

His story could have looked very different.

In the blink of an eye one’s life can change. This is a concept well understood by those close to the Chris Burger Petro Jackson Players’ Fund. Rugby’s Caring Hands in South Africa – aka the Players’ Fund, is at the forefront of all serious and life changing, rugby related injuries.

These injuries, especially the acute spinal cord injury is not only forever, but it also ‘zeroes the clock’ as the player learns to face living life with a disability, which is physically, mentally and socially very challenging. However, the good news is that there is a good chance of a full or near-full recovery if the BokSmart Serious Injury guidelines are followed to the tee.

Adams is one such example and an extremely lucky man, who could have been left paralysed after a tackle went wrong on the rugby field at Belhar RC on 18 August 2018, when he sustained an acute spinal cord injury in his neck.

Thanks to a BokSmart “text book” handling of his injury on the field by both the Belhar and Stellenbosch University RFC’s medical teams, followed by a call to Spineline (0800 678 678), within 40 mins Jonathan was transferred by an ER24 ambulance to the Tygerberg Hospital Emergency Unit. There, the very capable medical team reduced his dislocated neck vertebrae and released the pinched spinal cord before irreparable damage could occur. Neck stabilisation surgery then followed at Groote Schuur Hospital and a week later he was discharged home, walking comfortably with a soft neck brace in place.

Jonathan’s ongoing recovery and positive story is the gold-standard for management of acute spinal cord injuries that take place on a rugby field. The efficient timelines above and the on-field handling of this injury, prove that potentially debilitating injuries may result in a positive outcome for the player.

The BokSmart National Rugby Safety Programme is firmly in place and accessible to all in South Africa, and if used appropriately by clubs/schools and teams with a clear plan of action in the event of a spinal cord injury happening – the chances of a full recovery are increased.

Eight weeks down the line, Jonathan is receiving physiotherapy at the WP Rugby High Performance Centre in Bellville thanks to the kind support of the Western Province Rugby Football Union.

This is a positive and inspirational environment for him to rehabilitate in and each visit to his physio means bumping into at least one of his rugby heroes. The Western Province Rugby Union also invited Jonathan to the DHL Western Province Captain’s Run on Friday ahead of the Currie Cup Semi-Final against the Vodacom Blue Bulls at DHL Newlands. This highlights the team approach required to lift an injured player back up again, as is the ethos of rugby.