Expert explains Tiger Woods’ latest surgery, possible return
Tiger Woods underwent his seventh back surgery on Friday. A day later, the 15-time Grand Slam champion said he had undergone lumbar disc replacement surgery and was already feeling the positive effects of the surgery.
“After experiencing back pain and lack of mobility, I consulted with my doctor and surgeon for a checkup,” Woods said in a statement. “Scans determined that I had a collapsed L4/L5 disc, disc fragments, and spinal canal damage. I elected to have the disc replaced yesterday and already know I made a good decision for my health and my back.”
Woods did not play on the PGA Tour last season after undergoing surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon in March. No timetable has been provided for Woods’ potential return to competitive golf following lumbar disc replacement surgery, and Woods’ decision to have another back surgery naturally raises some questions.
Sports injury analyst and physical therapist Marty Jaramillo answered some questions about surgery, rehab and the possibility of Woods returning to competitive golf.
Watch Jaramillo’s commentary here:
What surgery did Tiger Woods have on his back and why?
“Why did Tiger Woods choose artificial disc replacement?” Jaramillo said. “Let’s talk about the history and what led to this decision. Tiger suffered multiple back injuries, multiple herniated discs and all the subsequent surgeries to repair those disc herniations.
“He was in real pain at the L5, S1 level (the lowest level), and in 2017 he opted for a spinal fusion at that level, with hardware implanted on both sides to decompress the nerves and add stability and support, but there is a trade-off with the hardware. Yes, you have less pain, but you lose a little bit of mobility, especially in rotation, sometimes up to 20 percent. It was very successful, and in 2019, Tiger won his fifth Green Jacket at the Masters.
“But like I said, the trade-off is fusion. The disc underneath is putting undue stress on the disc above. Now L4, L5 is coming into play and has been subjected to a lot of stress and overload in the years since, and in 2021 he had a fourth microdiscectomy to help repair L4. After the fourth microdiscectomy, then his horrific car accident, and then his Achilles tendon this year, he’s still trying to compete and play at a high level, The intervertebral discs at L4 and L5 basically begin to degenerate and form bone spurs, which again begin to compress the nerve endings.
“Now, if he had opted for a successful fusion, he would have lost so much more mobility that golf wouldn’t even be an issue anymore because he wouldn’t be able to play and compete at a high level. So, fast forward, we have this great new technology called an artificial disc. It’s still hardware, they remove the old disc. And implant the artificial disc. “
How is Tiger Woods’ recovery going?
“Therefore, for the next two weeks, Tiger will be under strict orders to take a lot of rest and be strictly limited in movements such as twisting and bending,” Jaramillo said. “But he’s also able to walk to the extent that he can tolerate it. By weeks two through four, he’s on a very progressive lumbar stabilization program and some mobility, remember, disc replacement surgery does have to heal. The hardware still has to fuse to the bone above and below, just like a fracture, and that has to heal. But by week six through eight, he’s doing aggressive strengthening and refining in all planes of the golf swing. Movements that are specific to the sport.”
Tiger Woods makes ‘right decision’ to have another back surgery, return status unclear
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Josh Schrock
“In the long term, any older athlete has to have a strict regimen and be very disciplined in terms of maintenance and recovery from treatment. Tiger has been great at that over the years, like LeBron, like Tom Brady, but Tiger has had a lot of surgeries, so he has to keep readjusting those recovery and maintenance regimens but still being disciplined. He also has to do load management. It has to be fully functional here. He may have to limit his total number of games, but also make smart decisions based on the climate and terrain of those games.”
When will Tiger Woods play competitive golf again?
While no timetable has been given for Woods’ return to the PGA Tour, Jaramillo is optimistic Woods will be able to return soon, given how long it has been since Woods’ Achilles tendon surgery and the expected healing time from his lumbar disc replacement.
“Tiger Woods has the potential to compete in his own Hero World Challenge and PNC Championship, both of which are held in December,” Jaramillo said. “By December he will have had over eight months to recover from the Achilles tendon repair and close to six to eight weeks for the artificial disc replacement, both within good recovery time and be ready to compete in both events.”
Tiger Woods’ long-term health concerns
For Jaramillo, Woods’ back isn’t the biggest concern in prolonging his career. Ankle issues have been prevalent since his car accident in 2021.
“I’m not too concerned about his back and this artificial disc,” he said. “I think it’s going to be very good. He’s going to compete at a high level.
“My biggest concern was Tiger’s ankle after the horrific crash,” Jaramillo said. “A few years after the accident, he had to have his ankle fused to help limit the pain and minimize it. But what did it do? After the fusion, like in 2017 It limited movement in his lower back, and in his case, it limited his ankle. He lost some of his ability to adapt to the uneven terrain on the golf course, and that really bothered him over the course of the four-day game with his limp, so I really thought his ankle was going to be a limiting factor in his career.”
