Chinese gymnast Wang Yan, 16, is making a “truly miraculous” recovery after breaking her neck in a horrific fall at last month’s national championships and has regained some ability to move her arm and legs.
After a fall (June 10, 2007) on her head from the uneven bars, she was diagnosed with fractures of the second and third vertebrae, an injury that doctors told newspapers results in death in 98.5 percent of cases.
Just weeks later she is able to lift her legs and right arm above her body.
Doctors operated June 19 to repair the fractures and have ordered a three-month program of six hours of daily physical rehabilitation exercises and hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which forces more oxygen into the bloodstream and is believed to speed recovery of chronic injuries.