JUPITER, FL — Legendary golfer Tiger Woods said on Thursday that he underwent back surgery . The surgery was needed to alleviate ongoing pain in the athlete's back and leg. It was performed by Dr. Richard Guyer of the Center for Disc Replacement at the Texas Back Institute.
He is ranked 788th in the world.
"The surgery went well, and I'm optimistic this will relieve my back spasms and pain," Woods said on his website, TigerWoods.com. "When healed, I look forward to getting back to a normal life, playing with my kids, competing in professional golf and living without the pain I have been battling so long." (Sign up for our free Daily Newsletters and Breaking News Alerts for the Coral Gables-Coconut Grove Patch.)
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Due to previous herniations and three surgeries, Woods' bottom lower-back disc severely narrowed, causing sciatica and severe back and leg pain, according to the golfer's website.
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"Conservative therapy, which included rehabilitation, medications, limiting activities and injections, failed as a permanent solution," the website said. "The procedure was a minimally invasive Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (MIS ALIF) at L5/S1. The surgery entailed removing the damaged disc and re-elevating the collapsed disc space to normal levels. This allows the one vertebrae to heal to the other. The goal is to relieve the pressure on the nerve and to give the nerve the best chance of healing."
His doctor said that Woods will gradually begin his rehabilitation until he is completely healed.
"Once that's accomplished, his workouts will be geared to allowing him to return to competitive golf," Dr. Guyer said. "If you are going to have single-level fusion, the bottom level is the best place for it to occur. Some individuals are born with one less vertebrae, which would be similar to someone who had a single-level fusion.
Woods plans to rest for several weeks before beginning therapy and treatment. While each procedure and case is unique, patients typically return to full activity in about six months, according to the website.
"I would like to thank all the fans for staying in touch and their kind wishes," Woods said. "The support I have received has never waned, and it really helps."
Tiger Woods photo by Keith Allison via flickr
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