Tiger Woods out of Masters Following Surgery for Pinched Nerve

[albatross]

I think it's probably true, but how great would it be if Tiger trolled everyone on April Fool's Day?

If it wasn't Augusta, I believe he would pull something like this.  But not The Masters. He knows better than to mess with Augusta.  They aren't known for having a sense of humor.

[9iron]

I laugh at all the speculation from the TV docs. They have no idea how little or how much of a problem this will be going forward. I say this as someone who has had this procedure.

I can say one thing about this type of surgery, to the extent they removed disc material, that material can no longer cushion. That isn't good.

[iacas]

Seems like he already had the surgery, right?

Yesterday. That's why they can call it "successful." :)

[DaNutz303]

Welp no Masters, probably no US Open and maybe even no Open championship. Could miss 3 majors. Probably rusty for the PGA. Basically a lost year in terms of majors.

I would say his hunt for Jack is very much in doubt. I was firmly on the 50/50 going into this year. I now say its more like 90/10 that he doesn't catch Jack. I'd even put it in doubt he wins another major at all.

He will most likely be back for the US Open.  I was back swinging a club after 6 weeks and I wasn't on an aggressive schedule obviously.

[Golfingdad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3putter

Seems like he already had the surgery, right?

Quote:

Originally Posted by iacas

Yesterday. That's why they can call it "successful." :)

Right ...

Quote:

Tiger Woods announced Tuesday that he has undergone a successful microdiscectomy for a pinched nerve that has been hurting him for several months.

The surgery was performed Monday in Park City, Utah, by neurosurgeon Dr. Charles Rich.

[tmac20]

I laugh at all the speculation from the TV docs. They have no idea how little or how much of a problem this will be going forward. I say this as someone who has had this procedure.  I can say one thing about this type of surgery, to the extent they removed disc material, that material can no longer cushion. That isn't good.

He might not be able to make those power swings out of the deep rough anymore.

[3putter]

Yesterday. That's why they can call it "successful." :)

Lmao, aren't you funny . This was a shock to my senses, I was almost certain he won't miss the Masters

[DaNutz303]

I laugh at all the speculation from the TV docs. They have no idea how little or how much of a problem this will be going forward. I say this as someone who has had this procedure.

I can say one thing about this type of surgery, to the extent they removed disc material, that material can no longer cushion. That isn't good.

Very true regarding the disc material is gone forever.  Decent chance Tiger could be looking at the surgery Goosen had in the future.  From everything that i read prior Tiger wasn't dealing with a lot of nerve pain yet.  It also seems like they caught it early.  If that is the case he will likely feel 90% better within a few weeks.  The lingering pain is generally from permanent nerve damage.  Sounds like you have that.

[9iron]

I had this same back surgery last year.  He will recover very quickly from it as nothing structural is changed.  Expect him back before the next major.

If you had the same surgery then you had a part of a disc removed. That is structural. Plus, neither of us know just how much of that disc was protruding. Maybe it was a lot.

I too have had this surgery. I have never been 100% of my old self. I can still swing a club, but I can't really get after it as  as much as I once did.

[albatross]

I know I'll get blasted for this, but I really don't care.  I seriously feel like his career is pretty much over.  The guy is almost 40 years old, and IMO, he was never the type of player that would play much past 45 on the regular tour anyway.  I've never been able to picture a 47 year old Tiger Woods out on the course.  So you figure how insignificant he's been this season, now the back surgery and recovery, I just don't see him being that relevant again.  I totally hope I'm wrong, but that's how I feel.

[DaNutz303]

As someone who has had the same surgery that Tiger just had, that doctor on ESPN said some irresponsible things, imho.

His example of the disc being like a jelly doughnut is the same example m y doctor used to describe how the disc works, but where the TV doc went a little astray is when he failed to mention that 1) he did not see Tiger's images so he has no idea how small or how large the protrusion is and 2) whatever gets cut out is now missing and can no longer help mitigate the shocks on the vertebrea.

The TV doc also asserted Tiger can get back to 100%. I think he is crazy. I am nowhere near what I used to be, and not for any lack of effort. The back just always flairs up. The pain radiates out to the hip too.

Tiger will have to begin a stretching routine the likes of which will make his head swim. And this is just my personal experience, but you can never stretch it out enough. It always lingers.

If you had the same surgery then you had a part of a disc removed. That is structural. Plus, neither of us know just how much of that disc was protruding. Maybe it was a lot.

I too have had this surgery. I have never been 100% of my old self. I can still swing a club, but I can't really get after it as  as much as I once did.

Yeah I actually had a large amount removed.  Mine was a sever case.  However since it was early and quickly I recovered almost immediately since my nerve didn't have significant damage.  My comments that it isn't a structural change comes from my doctor.  Meaning nothing is added or changed.  They are just removing disc which is already protruded and not being used.

IMO the concern for Tiger is more about how long will this help.  As you said the disc is gone forever and disc material doesn't really heal/close well.  He could easily herniate that same disc and be left with almost no disc.  In that case he is looking at what Goosen had or a fusion.  Those could really cost him his career.  I think with just a mictrodisc he will be as good as new.

[tmac20]

If you had the same surgery then you had a part of a disc removed. That is structural. Plus, neither of us know just how much of that disc was protruding. Maybe it was a lot.  I too have had this surgery. I have never been 100% of my old self. I can still swing a club, but I can't really get after it as  as much as I once did.

Also remember though that Woods has access to best health care and rehabilitation in the world.

[9iron]

Very true regarding the disc material is gone forever.  Decent chance Tiger could be looking at the surgery Goosen had in the future.  From everything that i read prior Tiger wasn't dealing with a lot of nerve pain yet.  It also seems like they caught it early.  If that is the case he will likely feel 90% better within a few weeks.  The lingering pain is generally from permanent nerve damage.  Sounds like you have that.

Yeah, I probably have some lingering damage, but there is also the issue of two vertebra now being closer to each other than they should be. Swinging a golf club for a living isn't going to make nhis back feel any better, and he can, and probably will, always get some inflamation in that spot. Not good for him.

[jbishop15]

I know I'll get blasted for this, but I really don't care.  I seriously feel like his career is pretty much over.  The guy is almost 40 years old, and IMO, he was never the type of player that would play much past 45 on the regular tour anyway.  I've never been able to picture a 47 year old Tiger Woods out on the course.  So you figure how insignificant he's been this season, now the back surgery and recovery, I just don't see him being that relevant again.  I totally hope I'm wrong, but that's how I feel.

A little bit of an overreaction, I think. He has access to the best healthcare in the world, so I can't imagine that his career is over.

[albatross]

A little bit of an overreaction, I think. He has access to the best healthcare in the world, so I can't imagine that his career is over.

I didn't say that he'll never swing a club again; I said that he won't be relevant again.  It's obviously just my opinion.

[3putter]

As much as I'm a TW fan, I won't be able to watch TGC today. They will be going on and on about this surgery.

[ChrisP]

Back surgeries are the worst kind of surgery. They are also very difficult to come back from. Going to be interested to see how this impacts him in the future because my guess is he is going to have to go through a swing change to take less pressure off his back.

[Kieran123]

So what do all the people that said he was faking it say now?