WWE injury updates: Big Show still not cleared, Alberto Del Rio working hurt

Injuries are a near constant in professional wrestling, as in any athletic endeavor, really. It's a harsh reality in a business that requires constant physicality. On any given week, half the WWE roster is either injured and out of action or working through some sort of ailment.

Here are some updates on recent health issues with the roster:

• Big Show was originally advertised to return on this past Monday night's (July 22) episode of Raw in Austin, Texas, but he never appeared on the show. He also didn't appear at the tapings for Raw the next night in Laredo, nor the two SmackDown tapings in Corpus Christi and Houston the following two evenings. The problem is he hasn't received medical clearance to return. Odd for WWE to jump the gun on dropping a promo hyping his return before he was actually ready to do so. It's sad, too, because the Wrestling Observer reports he was the one who was supposed to save Mark Henry from an attack by The Shield to lead to a 2-on-3 handicap match at SummerSlam. That may still happen, but he's got to get cleared first.
• Kofi Kingston is in the same boat as Big Show, as he's simply waiting to receive clearance to return to the ring after being out for elbow surgery a couple months ago.
• Randy Orton may have complained on Twitter that the Internet had it all wrong when WWE.com reported multiple neck injuries, but he did indeed suffer from the ailments his own company stated. On top of that, however, he also reportedly suffered a concussion, according to the Observer, which was the reason he missed Raw this week and wasn't at the taping the next night either. He did work both SmackDown shows, however, and is right back on the grind.
• The Observer also reported recently that Alberto Del Rio broke a rib during his match with Sheamus at Raw Monday night but he's been gutting it out and worked all four TV tapings throughout the week.

That's the status of the big names right now, Cagesiders. Be well out there.