TNA Knockout Traci Brooks suffered from Erb's Palsy

Photo courtesy of tnawrestling.com

Earlier today, I read an interesting interview [which can be read here] current TNA Knockout Traci Brooks [pictured above] did with the Chicago Sun-Times. In the interview, Ms. Brooks revealed for the first time that she suffered from Erb's Palsy as an infant and was able to overcome it as a result of her mother's persistence, dedication and the fact that her mother made her exercise her arm every day until she was two years old.

Ms. Brooks went on to say that she was in a sling that was attached over her heady in her buggy, was one-out-of-six kids with the condition at the time and the only one to benefit in a positive manner as a result of her mother's exercise regimen.

For those who are not familiar with Erb's Palsy [pictured below], it is paralysis of the arm caused by injury to the upper group of the arm's main nerves, specifically the spinal roots C5-C7, and almost always occurs during birth.



Photo courtesy of wikipedia.com


The most common cause of Erb's Palsy is "dystocia," an abnormal or difficult childbirth, such as the infant's head and neck being pulled towards the side at the same time as the shoulders are passing through the birth canal.

The condition can also be caused by excessive pulling on the baby's shoulders during a "vertex delivery," which is a head first delivery, and can also present itself to adults following a traumatic fall on the side of the neck. Depending on the nature of the damage, the paralysis can either resolve on its own over a period of months, through physical therapy or require surgery.

I honestly had never heard of this condition until I read Ms. Brooks' interview. I also never noticed that she has a lack of muscle definition on her right side (maybe that's because I'm never looking are her muscles but rather, her other talents) or that the condition actually affects her in the ring, both physically and mentally as she doesn't view herself as a Superstar, but rather as a girl with a disability and not perfect like she and other Knockouts are perceived.

After reading this article, I have even more respect for Ms. Brooks and hope she is able to get the word out about this condition that I don't think many people know about or even knows exist. It's weird and scary to think that as soon as your born, you could already be suffering from something.

If TNA wrestling was smart, they would use this to their advantage and have Ms. Brooks become a spokeswoman for organizations, such as EPG, that work in correlation with this condition that can affect just about anyone.

This should also serve as a reminder to anyone but specifically young women, that one can do and overcome anything life throws at them as long as they set their mind to it, are willing to work hard and never giving up.