LEADING Port Adelaide goal kicker Jay Schulz has returned to the training track after sustaining significant abdominal damage in Round 14 and hopes to resume playing duties by season’s end.
Schulz collided with teammate Justin Westhoff in mid air when both jumped to contest a mark against the Bulldogs in June.
After coming from the ground, Schulz returned to the field and played out the remainder of the game.
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Subsequent scans at a Melbourne hospital revealed internal bleeding from his bowel and he has missed the Power's last two games.
Despite the severity of the collision he hopes to return to full flight AFL by the end of the season.
“If my bowel had ruptured then I would have been in trouble,” Schulz said of the injury.
“As bad as the injury was I was very lucky and was very close to having surgery but the radiologists had a closer look and decided that my bowel hadn’t been ruptured so they only put me in intensive care over one night.
“I’m still very hopeful that I might be able to get back for a few games.”
Schulz returned to light running at Alberton Oval on Friday morning and specialists continue to educate the star forward on his injury and the limits it has imposed on his body.
The 27-year-old is pleased with his progress and continues to take gradual steps towards a full recovery.
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“After seeing the specialist this week I’m feeling a lot better mentally,” he said.
“It’s given me a little bit more to knowing that I’ll be in some pain for a while, but it’s not doing any extra damage and shouldn’t have any future damage.
“I’m a lot more comfortable knowing I can get out and do some training and be a little bit sore - but that’s not a bad thing.
“I can feel something a bit abnormal in my stomach but I’m O.K. with that now.
“It’s a week-by-week thing and the next two weeks will be a day-by-day thing until I go and get more scans at the specialist.
“So whether I’m back in a month, or miss the rest of the year, we’ll just have to wait and see.”
“If my bowel had ruptured then I would have been in trouble,” Schulz said of the injury.
“As bad as the injury was I was very lucky and was very close to having surgery but the radiologists had a closer look and decided that my bowel hadn’t been ruptured so they only put me in intensive care over one night.
“I’m still very hopeful that I might be able to get back for a few games.”
Schulz returned to light running at Alberton Oval on Friday morning and specialists continue to educate the star forward on his injury and the limits it has imposed on his body.
The 27-year-old is pleased with his progress and continues to take gradual steps towards a full recovery.
[ Related: Injury Update ]
“After seeing the specialist this week I’m feeling a lot better mentally,” he said.
“It’s given me a little bit more to knowing that I’ll be in some pain for a while, but it’s not doing any extra damage and shouldn’t have any future damage.
“I’m a lot more comfortable knowing I can get out and do some training and be a little bit sore - but that’s not a bad thing.
“I can feel something a bit abnormal in my stomach but I’m O.K. with that now.
“It’s a week-by-week thing and the next two weeks will be a day-by-day thing until I go and get more scans at the specialist.
“So whether I’m back in a month, or miss the rest of the year, we’ll just have to wait and see.”
