Tom Segura Fully Explains His Dunk Injury

We should probably tell people what happened. People who don't know, don't pay attention. You and Burt were doing this dunk challenge. So we were shooting content for our live show, which was a New Year's Eve live. So that was like exciting. We had done one before where we played tennis and we had like just goofy shit and was fucking around and we shot some sketches and stuff. So we had this idea where like we competed, let's compete, let's compete, let's do basketball and then we'll do a dunk contest, we'll lower the rim and raise it and see who can dunk on the highest rim. And that'll be part of the competition, you know? Oh, how dare you. Just as Tim actually dunking, this was the video he just wrote where they were doing before. Oh, that's that day, yeah, that's that day. How high is that one? That one's like eight, right? And then... What's regulation? Ten. Can you dunk at ten? No, I dunked at nine though. That's why I beat Burt. So this is like eight and a half right there and then the nine, this is nine right here, right? So I beat him, he couldn't do it and it was over. That's over right there. And then you did... So right there they're all like, oh, and Burt's like, holy shit, because he couldn't do it and I'm like, oh, it's over and there's Tristan Jass we went with, he's like a really talented kid, basketball. I won, I won, excuse me, I won. And then right after this, one of those guys goes, I think you can go a little higher. And I was like, I remember I felt the adrenaline. You know when someone's like, you got this. And you're like, you feel like your throat kind of tightened up, you know? And that was, they raised it three inches. That's it? From that, nine three. So you know, just because I didn't have a lot more room. I was like, oh, that was like, it was clean. But I was like, I can't go that much higher. And just on the push off, push off on the left foot, my left patellar tendon snapped. Now did you strain it before that? Not that I knew of. I mean, eventually when I talked to the doctor about it, he was like, this probably would have happened, like doing something else. What? Yeah. Why? He's just like, you know, he said it was such a strange place for the tear to take place. He's like, it took it, first he goes, he goes, you know, it took a tremendous amount of force to do what you did. How did you do this? I was like, a fucking dunk contest. He was like, what? I was like, dunk contest? He was like, a slam dunk contest? And I was like, yeah, dude. He was like, okay. He goes, well, normally these patellar tendons snap in like one or two places. And like yours snapped in a place that it rarely happens in. Like it's not at one of the attachment points. It was like a quarter of the way down. He's like, it's very strange the way it snapped. Hmm. So didn't you do like deadlifts or something the day before that? I did squats three days before. Were you sore when you went to the dunking thing? No. I was doing 255 sets of 12. Okay, so not really heavy weight? Not crazy weight and like, I mean, but not super light, but like, you know, being able to, I didn't have a problem with it. And then, you know what, I do remember this, someone reminded me of this afterwards at my office, that I do remember they were betting whether I could do nine feet at the office. Some people were like, yes, no. And I jumped in my office in like jeans and a t-shirt and touched the ceiling there. And I was like, that felt funny. Oh, something felt funny and unique. Here's the thing about tendons and ligaments, especially ligaments, when they snap, they don't hurt. It didn't hurt at all. It didn't hurt at all. They just gave out. They just gave out. And I don't know if I would have felt pain if it wasn't for landing on my arm and snapping my humerus in half. And that pain was so severe. That was so hard to watch. It was extraordinary pain. And then when Burt takes it and pulls it and moves it, why did he do that? He was like, you're right, buddy. I think he was, everyone's in shock. Well, you should have, he had done that? Is that bad to move your arm like that? Yeah, it's not. What do you do? You're not supposed to move it. You're supposed to leave it there? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I have radial nerve damage. And, you know, some people would argue that it could be exacerbated by being moved, but some people would say that, you know, it didn't. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Right there, yeah. Yeah. It hurts so much, man. I could only imagine. It hurts so much. I could only imagine. And then, you know that I did something pretty crazy. So I went to a hospital immediately, right, from the paramedics' game. And as soon as I got to the hospital, I looked around. I don't know where I am or anything. I was like, I'm not staying here. So they... Why? I just knew it was a shitty hospital. Where were you? They don't want to say? I don't want to say. But I just knew. I just knew instinctively. I was like, mm-mm. Really? Yeah. And my memory is so... You know when you have intense experiences, your memory is so sharp from it? Like, I remember so every detail of like a month, like everything. Wow. People I met, I remember everyone's name, you know. Whoa. So I got that emergency room. I remember that Scott was in the bed next to me. And then this nurse came in. We did x-rays. And they put this straight brace on my leg. They're like, you know, tendons snapped. And then they did a horrible job wrapping this arm in like a makeshift kind of splint brace, you know. And I was like... And then they're just pumping me through. They're like, how much pain are you? And I'm like, all of it. What are you talking about? Like, all the pain. And they're giving me drugs. And then they're like, we need to have surgery, you know. So I called my primary physician. And I was like, who should operate on me? And he's like, dude, like the two people I would send you to are out of town right now. I was like, all right. So the emergency room doctor there is like, I'll set you up with this person that can do surgery tomorrow. And I was like, no. I'm not doing it here. Really? And I was like, I'm leaving. And they're like, you want to leave here? And I was like, yep. They're like, your leg and your arm are like completely not working. And I was like, I don't care. They're like, are you sure? And I go, yeah. So Lindsay, who works with me, who was there filming, like getting his car, I mean, it was hard to like... You got a guy named Lindsay working for you? Yeah, yeah. Okay. He'll hear this. Give it to him, man. Give it to him. Might want to change that name. So he... Is he him? No, no, no. He's a pronoun. He's very he. He's very he-him. Yeah. So that's his... Yeah, yeah. But he doesn't put it in his signature. But he's a great guy. So Lindsay helps me get in the car. Sorry, Lindsay. And he drives me home. So I just go home with a broken in half arm and a leg that doesn't work. Why didn't he take you to a better hospital? It didn't occur to any of us. I didn't go take me to the hospital. Go home. And Bert and Leanne had helped set up this area in our house. Because Christina was beside herself, so overwhelmed. And they were really, really great. And I got on the couch. And I slept on the couch. Oh my God. And then the next morning, Bert had hired... I was like, find me one of the fucking wheelchair drivers that takes people around. He found a guy that for $50 picked us up. In a 30 year old van and a 50 year old wheelchair. No. Yes. And I was like, who the fuck did you find? He's like, I don't know. So he... You know, I do... I tell him this. I'm always like, you know, I'm a role solo. Like I'll be like, I'll go by myself to things. I grabbed him. I was like, don't you fucking leave me in this van with this guy. Don't leave me. He was like, okay. Oh my God. How old was the guy driving the car? Dude, he was... He reeked of cigarettes. His hair was so long that when he pushed me, like in the wheelchair, his hair would like be on my back and my neck. Oh no. But I was in so much pain that I was just like, just grinding my teeth. He takes me to an orthopedic surgeon, like to his office. And when I wheel into the office, that guy goes, what the fuck are you doing here, man? And I go, what? He goes, you need to go to the hospital like right now. And I go, really? He goes, yeah, man, you need to go to the hospital right now. He goes, I just saw like what the x-rays from last night. He goes, I mean, just go right now immediately to the emergency room. I was like, okay. He tells me, you know, this is going to be easy to fix. The tendons, like the real work, but just go. And it'll suck for a bit to wait and everything, but just go. So then I go to Cedars in LA and then, you know, you have to wait. And then we get into like the fast track. And Burt, you know, is with me. And then eventually I get into a room later that day. And then two days later, I have surgery. And then I stay there another few days. So what'd they do with you for those two days? It was like, I mean, they were pumping me full of drugs. They re-wrapped my arm, which, so they had to take off the old wrap, the shitty wrap. And I was like, no, dude. And then reset it and re-wrap it. Oh, man. Yeah, that was so much pain. And then they operated. And then a couple days later, I go to a recovery place, like a rehab recovery place, for two weeks. So that's why, you know, you're just alone all the time. Yeah. And it's strange, you know. And the two days of waiting was just because they needed operating room time? Or just like, so that's the other thing. I ended up getting like one of the best trauma surgeons. So I was like in the trauma ward. And this is like one of the most sought after trauma surgeons. So I'm so lucky to get him. And I tell him, he's like, tell me, you know, what happened? I tell him, and I tell him I left that hospital. He goes, let me tell you something. He goes, that is crazy. But that's one of the smartest things you've ever done. Wow. He was like, that was really, really smart of you to do. Imagine if they butchered you. Yeah. He goes, you know, because it was basically like that these two operations are major operations. And like I have titanium plates in here, you know, and like simple things. Somebody scarlet card. It's just like, it's pretty gnarly. I mean, take your chair and check it out. Yeah. See the whole thing. Dun dun dun. Now, how long ago was this? December 1st. And the surgery was December 4th. Bro, that is a crazy scar. So they went right through your bicep? Yeah. And I love that one of the guys is like, pull it up. Pull it up. That's wild. And I still have like radial nerve damage, you know? Not damage, excuse me, bruising. So it's going to take like, they said up to 16, 18 months. Like month by month, it gets a little better. Like I couldn't pull my wrist up like this before. If I raised my hand, it would just go like that. When did this, when it become better? Like a month ago. Wow. And I can grip things, but I can't use my extenders. Like my hand doesn't open all the way. So when you, you have to like do it? Yeah, or like I just have to place it. But when you place it, can you grab things? Yeah, I can grab things. Can you do a chin up? No, definitely not. Wow. Yeah, because I'm lifting weights like four or five days a week, but it's all light. And it has to, like I just got permission to do, for like months it was 15 pounds. He was like, you can only lift 15 pounds in this arm. And then he gave me permission to go up, so I did 20. And if I did rows, I can do like 25, 30. But it's, everything here, atrophy, you know, like, doubt the whole, the whole rotator cuff area, soup much, much weaker. It's weird. Like you're like, that's not heavy, but then it feels heavy, you know? Oh, wow. You know, and same thing with like your leg. Like I can do seated squats holding weight here, but I can't like put, you know, weight on my back. Right. But you know, you do it like little by little and you see the little changes. Yeah, I've been through a gang of surgeries. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I've had both of my knees reconstructed. Oh, so you, yeah, but like when this thing was in a straight brace for six weeks, when that thing came off, I mean, you look at my quad, it was just like, come on. It's weird, right? I was like, whoa. And you put it next to the other one and you're like, oh my God. It's weird how quick it happens. Yeah, it happens real fast. You know, the whole thing is that the experience becomes like so intense. And I don't think like I can communicate it to people fully who haven't either experienced it or the only people who like totally get it, like the intensity of the experience and how it affects you are the PTs. Because they've seen it. They work with, you know, orthopedic injuries every day. Like they know that it affects you like physically, mentally and emotionally. Nobody prepares you for that. Yeah. So you have a full year and a half really before your left. I mean, they told me that, you know, they're like that leg. They go consider that a year, like a year before it's what you were used to before the arm. It's like they go. They've seen the nerve stuff because your nerve regenerates at one millimeter a day. So I don't have a damn. I don't have like a like a cut nerve, but they're like one millimeter a day. You know, it's really, really small. Yeah. So they're like, yeah, we've seen people recover in four months from their radial nerve stuff. And then we've seen people that take like 18 months. So they go just up in the air. Now, did you look into peptides or anything else? Yeah. Has any of that stuff helped you? I mean, I've taken them and I feel better. I feel good, you know, and I'm like, you know, I'm eating really clean. You look good. Or as soon as I saw you, you're like, you look thin. Yeah. Oh, thanks, man. Your face looks healthy. Yeah, I feel good. And, you know, the truth is I don't know what effect the peptides have. I take them. Right. I religiously like I follow that schedule. But to me, it all feels like part of kind of the ritual of rehab. So like it's like it's it's dieting, it's exercise, peptide, like all that is part of the recovery. And are you doing the rehab through a physical therapist? Yeah. Yeah, I got a great one. How many days a week you doing? We were at three days a week. Then we went down to two. And then like now I don't really need I don't need rehab anymore on my leg. I mean, I need to work out and get it stronger, which I do. But I don't need her to to rehab it. Dr. Karen Dubert. She's awesome. But she's been doing some of my like shoulder arm stuff working on this. But the leg is pretty much like just get it stronger now. Yeah, you just look normal when you're walking around. You don't have a limp at all. Yeah, which is surprising. I was like, it's only four months. Yeah, it's only four months. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Isn't that crazy? Yeah. Yeah. I'm on Spotify now to get this full episode of the Joe Rogan experience.