A German doctor revealed patients who have suffered vertebral injuries in the past are commonly advised against doing dangerous sports such as skiing. Dr Christoph Goetz, chief spinal and neurosurgery director at the Asklepios Klinikum in Harburg, said that, for safety reasons, doctors tell people with previous head and brain injuries to “refrain” from doing risky sports, as they would be much more at risk than others in case of an accident. Dr Goetz explained: “It would be conceivable that patients with vertebral injuries are advised to refrain from highly risk-prone sports because of the risk of injury.”
It is not clear whether the F1 legend was not advised to stop practicing dangerous sports or ignored the doctors’ opinions before taking up on skiing.
But F1 legend Michael indeed suffered serious injuries in the past.
On the very same year he debuted in F1, 1991, the driver crashed with his Jordan car at 280kmh into the track boundary.
The accident left the seven-time world champion with a cervical fracture, diagnosed only years later.
READ MORE: Michael Schumacher health: Wife Corinna speaks in rare update on F1 star’s 50th birthday
And during his stint in the world of motorcycle racing, Michael crashed on the Spanish circuit in Murcia aboard his Honda, where he suffered neck and vertebrae injuries and damage to the left side of his brain.
This accident prevented him from going back to Formula One two years after he retired, according to the brand’s former chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo.
The Ferrari chief said Michael headed to the racing department “full of enthusiasm, like a kid or young driver”.
Mr Montezemolo added: “Unfortunately his doctor had to stop him from returning.
“He was not ready, which was bad for all of us.”
Michael returned to F1 racing one year later, in 2010, with the Mercedes GP team.
The driver, who raced with Jordan, Benetton, Ferrari and Mercedes, suffered a severe head injury while skiing at the Meribel resort in the French Alps on December 29, 2013.
The record-breaking driver was put into an induced coma and underwent two surgeries at Grenoble Hospital.
The family has released only a handful of updates on Michael’s health in the past five years.
But last week, just days before the champion’s 50th birthday, Michael’s beloved wife, Corinna, released a rare statement, in which she reassured his supporters Michael is in “good hands” and the family are doing “everything humanly possible to help him”.
She said: “We are pleased and wholeheartedly thank you for celebrating Michael’s 50th birthday with him and with us.
“You can be sure that he is in good hands and we are doing everything humanly possible to help him.”
Additional reporting by Monika Pallenberg.