Those TLC matches really took their toll on the Rated-R Superstar. They did on everyone, really, but Edge seemed to come out of it the worst. He's often said that he believes his neck issues started during them, back in the early 2000s. He was forced to undergo major neck surgery in 2003, which kept him out of action for over a year. It was those same neck issues that forced Edge to retire in April 2011. He'd already planned on calling it a day at some point in 2012, but the process was accelerated when Edge began experiencing those familiar feelings of numbness in his hands. He had spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal column, and doctors told him that one more bump could land him in a wheelchair. Edge knew he was wrestling on borrowed time from 2004 onwards, but it wasn't just the neck pain that was making him contemplate retirement: his 2009 torn Achilles tendon seemed to signal that his body might not be able to withstand the impact of the ring wars any longer. Besides those two major injuries, Edge has also had his teeth popped out (2000), suffered a shoulder injury (2002), hurt his groin (2004) and tore his pec twice (2005 & 2007). Thankfully, Edge was smart with his money and was able to retire comfortably, but he certainly paid the price for his fame and fortune.
