[molson]

Here's the WWE press release on Edge:

"Less than a week after his successful title defense against Alberto Del Rio at WrestleMania XXVII, World Heavyweight Champion Edge has been forced to retire from in-ring competition due to injury. The unexpected news brings to an end a storied WWE career spanning 13 years and consisting of 11 World Title reigns. (CAREER PHOTOS)

The Rated-R Superstar had been suffering numbness and uncontrollable trembling in his arms and hands. This is not the first time Edge has experienced these symptoms of nueropraxia. An MRI administered at Atlanta Midtown Diagnostic Imaging last Monday was sent to Dr. Joseph Maroon, a renowned neurosurgeon and professor of neurosurgery at The Pittsburgh School of Medicine. After careful examination of the MRI, it was determined that Edge would never be cleared to compete again, and thus, he is forced to retire.

In 2003, Edge underwent a two level spinal fusion of the discs between his C5, C6 and C7 vertebrae. After being cleared to compete, The Rated-R Superstar returned to the ring, resulting in stenosis of the spine, or a narrowing of the spinal column, above and below the fused discs. This narrowing resulted in less and less of the vital fluid needed to protect the spinal cord. Medical professionals cannot clear Edge to compete ever again in WWE since doing so could result in paralysis or even death."

I think he's one of the lucky ones - great career, he probably has some financial means, and being forced out of the ring now is going to help his all-around long-term health (including with concussions), and his lifestyle is probably going to get a lot healthier. I bet there's some peace to leaving when you're told you have NO CHOICE. At least the decision process isn't something he has to struggle with. (Unless Edge pulls a Kurt Angle and finds some other doctor that says he's fine - I'd think that's very unlikely from what we know of Edge v. what we know of Kurt Angle though)