Tiger Woods’ Golfing Injury in 2017
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When it comes to Tiger Woods golfing injury, the champion golfer has suffered a lot throughout this illustrious career. In today’s article, we will talk about Tiger Woods golfing injury and discuss his sports surgery for back pain. Read on!
Tiger Woods Golfing Injury – Timeline
Although Tiger Woods has a long golfing injury history, in June 2008, Tiger Woods underwent reconstructive surgery in his left knee. During the procedure, the surgeon repaired the damaged cartilage. However, Woods could not return to professional golf for nine months.
Tiger Woods missed the cut the week before the Wells Fargo Championship in May 2010, causing him to withdraw from the Players Championship’s final round. Tiger cited that he might be suffering from a bulging disc. However, it was not the case, and doctors said that the pain was due to inflammation in his neck’s facet joint.
In April 2011, Tiger announced that he would not participate in the Wells Fargo Tournament due to a minor injury in his left knee. A year later, Tiger left the WGC-Cadillac Championship after playing seven holes in the final round. Tiger withdrew from the tournament because of an injury to his left Achilles’ tendon.
The champion golfer withdrew from the Honda Classic’s final round due to Tiger Woods golfing injury, citing lumbar spine spasms in March 2014. A month later, Woods announced that he would not participate in the Masters because he would undergo surgery for a pinched nerve in his spine.
Tiger Woods golfing injury, spinal injury caused him to undergo a second microdiscectomy surgery to remove the disc fragment that pinched his spinal nerve. The surgery was performed in September 2015. One month later, in October 2015, Tiger underwent a follow-up procedure to relieve discomfort.
Sports Surgery For Back Pain – Minimally Invasive ALIF
Tiger Wood’s golfing injury or lower back pain caused him to withdraw from several major tournaments. Woods’ doctors diagnosed that his lower back disc was severely narrowed. Because Tiger Woods has an active lifestyle, he could not undergo another back surgery. It would have caused severe damage to his back.
That’s the reason Woods consulted Dr. Richard Guyer, who recommended him a minimally invasive ALIF surgery. In April 2017, Woods announced on his official website that he would undergo a minimally invasive ALIF procedure to remove the damaged disc between his L5 and S1. The purpose was to restore the normal alignment between his lower back’s sacrum and vertebra.
Dr. Richard Guyer made a small incision in the abdomen to spare muscles and soft tissue structures in Wood’s back. It was essential to preserve the spinal anatomy because Tiger has an active lifestyle. Unlike the posterior approach (PLIF), ALIF does not lead to spinal complications, such as damaged muscles in the lower back.
Dr. Guyer inserted a bone graft material between the L5 and S1 and secured it with a larger mesh, rods, and screws. Over time, the bone graft material fused the two vertebral bones into a single bone, allowing Woods to get rid of lumbar spine and leg pain.
The Effectiveness of ALIF Technique
ALIF is an innovative, minimally invasive procedure performed by qualified neurosurgeons here at MINT. Because PLIF and other procedures make it challenging for surgeons to reach the L5 and S1 disc space, ALIF allows a surgeon to make a small incision in the abdomen to reach the affected area easily without damaging the delicate spinal structures.
ALIF surgery offers a wide range of benefits to the patient suffering from lower back pain. Like Tiger Woods golfing injury treated with ALIF sports surgery for back pain, you can also undergo this procedure to improve flexibility, range of motion, and strength in your spine. There are many benefits of ALIF sports surgery for back pain. These include:
- Less blood loss, less scarring, and less post-operative fine
- No damage to the delicate posterior muscles
- Quick rehabilitation and shorter recovery time
- More effective procedure than PLIF
- Faster healing and shorter hospital stays
MINT is a reputable surgery clinic with qualified and experienced neurosurgeons. To date, our neurosurgeons have performed hundreds of minimally invasive procedures, including sports surgery for back pain like ALIF. We have a state-of-the-art facility with superior-quality equipment and tools to ensure a successful surgery.
Unlike open-back surgery and other minimally invasive techniques, ALIF is more effective because it does not damage the spinal structures, allowing you to recover in a short time and get back to your day-to-day activities. If you suffer from back pain like Tiger Woods golfing injury, consult our MINT’s qualified neurosurgeon today!
