Tom Segura Fully Explains His Dunk Injury

Episode Summary

Main Topics Discussed

• Detailed account of **Tom Segura's severe dunking injury**, which occurred during a content shoot for a New Year's Eve live show with Bert Kreischer.
• The specific nature of the injuries: a **snapped patellar tendon** in his left knee and a **snapped humerus** (upper arm bone) in his right arm, resulting in radial nerve damage.
• The **immediate aftermath** of the injury, including the shock, excruciating pain (primarily from the arm), and Bert Kreischer's accidental yanking of the arm.
• Tom's decision to **leave the initial emergency room** due to a perceived lack of quality and seek treatment at a more reputable hospital (Cedars-Sinai).
• The **journey to surgery and subsequent recovery**, including the two-day wait for a top trauma surgeon, the operations (resulting in titanium plates in his arm), and a two-week stay in a rehab facility.
• The **long-term recovery process**: extensive physical therapy, slow nerve regeneration (up to 16-18 months for the arm), muscle atrophy, and the mental and emotional toll of such severe injuries.

Key Insights & Memorable Moments

• The injury occurred after Tom had successfully dunked at 9 feet (beating Bert) and was encouraged to go "a little higher," pushing off for a dunk at 9 feet 3 inches.
• Tom revealed that **tendon snaps typically don't hurt**; he only felt pain because of the concurrent humerus break and subsequent landing.
• A doctor noted the patellar tendon snapped in a highly unusual place, not at its typical attachment points.
• Tom's instinctive decision to demand discharge from the first hospital, a choice later validated by his trauma surgeon as "one of the smartest things you've ever done."
• The harrowing experience of being driven home and then to Cedars-Sinai in a "30-year-old van with a 50-year-old wheelchair driver" hired by Bert, who reeked of cigarettes and had very long hair.
• The initial, poor wrapping of his arm at the first hospital had to be painfully re-done at Cedars-Sinai.
• The physical therapist's understanding of the **profound mental and emotional impact** of major orthopedic injuries, beyond just the physical recovery.
• Tom's current limitations, including the inability to fully extend his hand or do a chin-up, despite consistent light weight training.

Notable Quotes or Revelations

• "just on the push off push off on the left foot my **left patellar tendon snapped**."
• On the tendon injury: "it took a tremendous amount of force to to do what you did how did you do this... **snapped in a place that it rarely happens in**."
• "When they snap they don't hurt I didn't hurt at all... I don't know if I would have felt pain if it wasn't for landing on my arm and **snapping my humerus in half** and that pain was so severe."
• Tom's decision at the first hospital: "I looked around... I was like **I'm not staying here**."
• The trauma surgeon's reaction to Tom leaving the first hospital: "that is crazy but that's **one of the smartest things you've ever done**."
• On radial nerve recovery: "gonna take like they said up to **16 18 months**."
• On the overall experience: "The whole thing is that the experience becomes like so intense I don't think like I can communicate it to people fully who who haven't either experienced it... **nobody prepares you for that**."
• His leg will take "a year before it's what you were used to."

Overall Themes

• **The Fragility of the Body:** Despite being in good physical condition, Tom suffered severe, career-threatening injuries from a seemingly innocuous activity.
• **Resilience and Self-Advocacy:** Tom's determination to seek the best possible medical care, even in a state of extreme pain and vulnerability, highlights his inner strength.
• **The Demanding Journey of Recovery:** The episode thoroughly details the physical and psychological toll of healing from major trauma, emphasizing patience, consistent effort, and the often-unseen struggles of rehabilitation.
• **The Importance of Medical Expertise:** The stark contrast between the initial hospital experience and the care received from a highly skilled trauma surgeon underscores the critical role of quality healthcare.
• **Unintended Consequences:** A lighthearted content creation idea spiraled into a life-altering event, serving as a cautionary tale about pushing physical limits.