Neeraj Chopra’s road to recovery: Understanding the Javelin star’s back injury and why rushed return can risk recurrence |

2025 wasn’t the best year for India’s star Javelin Thrower Neeraj Chopra. The World Champion suffered a back injury last September, and is now focusing on rehabilitation. According to the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), Neeraj Chopra is focusing on his recovery and has not yet decided when and where to start the season. “He (Chopra) is taking a break. He is recovering from his injuries. He had two injuries. The focus is on rehabilitation, I think that is the most important thing, not the opener,” said AFI spokesperson Adille Sumariwalla.

Neeraj Chopra’s back injury

While reports of Neeraj Chopra’s back injury have not been made public, after the World Championships Final, the sportsman said, “The incident happened on September 4. I was doing shot put throw during training. I do back throw and front throw. When i bent down for front throw, there was a sudden jolt on my left side, the blocking side, it got stretched and I could not even walk.” Chopra revealed, “We did an MRI in Prague and there was some problem in the disc.”

A back injury can be traumatic for a Javelin Thrower. While the back provides us support, for a Javelin thrower, it provides ‘performance’. So, an injury in the back, like Chopra’s, can significantly drop his performance.

What is a disc issue

Disc issue, as Neeraj Chopra mentioned, is most likely damage or stress involving the intervertebral discs. These are like the ‘shock-absorbing’ structures that sit between the bones of the spine. While Chopra’s disc issue is most likely caused by the stress from the high-demanding sport like Javelin throw, for common people, US National Library of Medicine notes Degenerated discs are prone to out-pouching (herniation); the protruding disc can press against one of the spinal nerves that run from the spinal cord to the rest of the body. This pressure causes pain, weakness, and numbness in the back and legs. Herniated discs often cause nerve pain called sciatica that travels along the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back down the length of each leg.

Why rushed return can risk recurrence

According to a case study in Frontiers, Returning to sport after injury is not solely a physical decision, and evidence shows that when return-to-play (RTP) is rushed, the risk of recurrence rises sharply due to unresolved psychological factors. While in Neeraj Chopra’s case, the Athletics Federation of India and Chopra himself are aware of the risks, and thus are fully focused towards his recovery. Neeraj Chopra is going through rehabilitation under the guidance of his coach and Czech legend Jan Zelezny. “His calendar is with coach Jan Zalenzy. Right now the focus is on his rehabilitation from the injury and not the season opener,” said Asille Sumariwalla.