For Kiwanuka, health is wealth

CHARLOTTE, N.C.

Mathias Kiwanuka sat on the stool in front of his locker with a look of contentment that captured the mood perfectly.

It was only minutes after the Giants lost their preseason opener to the Panthers here Saturday night, and the look had nothing to do with the outcome of the game. It had everything to do with the fact that he actually played in it.

After all, it wasn't long ago that Kiwanuka wasn't sure if he'd ever play again. He had a neck problem by the third regular-season game last year and faced the possibility of being forced into retirement only five years into his career.

"I mean, it's your neck. You can't mess around with an injury to your neck, and I wasn't going to do that,'' Kiwanuka told me. "I knew that for my life going forward, it was important for me to take the proper steps, even if that meant I couldn't play anymore.''

But there he was Saturday night, running around at outside linebacker, hitting people again, making tackles, celebrating big plays with teammates.

After all those months of doubts, and all those moments when he thought he might have to leave the sport he loved, Kiwanuka had made it all the way back.

Forget that the Giants lost, 20-10. For Kiwanuka, the personal victory was far more significant than the score of a game that didn't count.

"I feel great,'' he said. "We're all blessed to be able to play this game, and God has blessed us with athletic ability. But we also have the health factor.''

In a sport in which careers can end in the moment it takes to make a tackle, Kiwanuka understands how fortunate he is. Diagnosed with a condition called spinal stenosis (a narrowing of the spinal column that puts pressure on the spinal cord), Kiwanuka developed a bulging disc in his neck and never made it back to the field after a 29-10 loss to the Titans in Week 3.

He was off to the best start of his career with four sacks at defensive end. But he didn't play another down, spending months visiting specialists. There was cautious optimism that he wouldn't need surgery, that time and rest would allow the disc to go back into place. But there were no guarantees.

"I went all over the place seeing the best doctors,'' said Kiwanuka, who visited five neck and spine specialists.

"I wanted every single doctor to sign off,' he said. "I didn't want to be in a situation where I just had one person's opinion that I was going to go with. I saw the highest-recommended doctors for this, this sport, and I got clearance from every single one.''

The final medical clearance came early in the offseason. The lockout kept players from returning to their teams until late July, so Kiwanuka had to train on his own, although he still could get medical help from the Giants.

His first big test came on the first day of contact during training camp. "There was that anxiety before that practice,'' he said. "But after being at practice every day, I knew I'd take all the hits and not have to worry about it. It was fun. I was anxious to get back out there.''

Kiwanuka now is an outside linebacker after having played most of his career at defensive end, although he did play linebacker in 2007 and 2008 before switching back to end when Osi Umenyiora got hurt. But Kiwanuka doesn't really care where he plays -- not when playing at all is a blessing.

So while Umenyiora is scheduled to report to camp Monday with a gigantic chip on his shoulder because he can't get his contract reworked, Kiwanuka will show up grateful to have another day on the football field.

"When you're faced with a situation like this, it makes you go back and give thanks for everything in your life,'' he said. "And you know what? Even if I couldn't play football, I'd still look at everything I'd been given up to this point as a blessing.''