Who was the first Vietnamese American football player to play in the NFL? Dat Nguyen of course. He’s had a great career with the Dallas Cowboys, but it appears to be coming to a conclusion. According to Stephen Hawkins of the Associated Press,Dan Campbell recently explained, “He said, ‘I see plays develop and I know where I need to be before it even happens and I can’t get there. To hear him say that, to me, pretty much put everything in perspective.”
The loss to the Cowboys is huge, as Dat was a leader on defense as captain the last two years. He even lead the Cowboys in tackles the last two complete season, which is something that hadn’t been done in years.
The reason Dat Nguyen is considering retirement is due to a strained neck and painfully knees. These are injuries consistent with someone who has given seven years of their life playing the brutal sport of football.
What is a neck strain? There are two types of muscles in your neck. You have small neck muscles that are close to your spine, and you have large muscles that surround your throat, spine and connect to your chest. A neck strain happens when small tears happen in these muscles.
How do neck strains happen what causes neck strains? In almost all cases it’s due to trauma. This trauma can come from a force moving your neck too quickly such as a car accident or a hit in sports.
How do you know if you have a neck strain symptoms on neck strain? You’ll have difficulty moving your neck and there will be pain associated with this movement. You may also experience neck muscle spasms. In some cases dizziness or and stiffness will develop.
How do you treat a neck strain?
- You should ice the neck down to inhibit swelling.
- Anti inflammatory medicine.
- Over the counter pain relief.
- A neck brace may be considered as an option if the injury is severe.
Recovering from a neck strain is two fold. You need to allow the neck muscles to heal, and you need to strengthen the neck muscles so that this doesn’t happen again.