Spinal fusion is a major surgical procedure that involves fusing two or more vertebrae in the spine to correct issues like herniated discs or scoliosis. Unfortunately, severe back pain is a common experience among professional golfers and a few have even had to undergo spinal fusion to rectify the issue.
Some pro golfers who underwent spinal fusion surgery include Tiger Woods, Mark Calcavecchia, and Steven Bowditch. These players were out for a few months after the procedure but returned to playing golf once they had fully recovered.
Spinal fusion is considered a serious surgical procedure and a career-ender in many cases, but these golfers managed to return to their passion quickly after. In this article, we’ll shed light on their struggle with spinal fusion.
1. Tiger Woods
The most recognized name in golf, Tiger Woods already underwent three back surgeries before his spinal fusion procedure in 2017. Woods had been complaining of back pain for several years, and doctors weren’t able to rectify the issue.
Disc replacement wasn’t an option in Tiger’s case due to his previous surgeries. As such, he finally turned to spinal fusion as a last resort to eliminate back pain.
Prior to the surgery, Tiger hadn’t played for almost eighteen months. After spinal fusion, he was required to rest for nearly two years. But the pro shocked everyone by winning the 2019 Masters in spectacular fashion, making it one of the best comeback stories in sports history.
2. Mark Calcavecchia
Another well-known name in professional golf, Mark Calcavecchia has dedicated his life to the sport for nearly half a century, winning several PGA Tour titles in his time.
However, Mark had been complaining about severe back issues for a long time, and he managed the pain with the help of short-term remedies, like cortisone shots.
Then, in October 2020, Mark felt a back spasm that traveled down to his leg and had him writhing on the floor. That’s when he knew that it was time to undergo spinal fusion and sort out his back issues.
Fortunately, the 60-year-old had the vitality of much younger players and was able to return to the game within a year after the procedure.
Mark claimed that he was planning to retire until the pandemic when he wasn’t allowed to play golf. This time made him remember how much he loved the game, allowing him to recover sooner from his spinal fusion surgery.
3. Steven Bowditch
Two-time PGA Tour winner Steven Bowditch began experiencing back pain, sciatica, and numbness in his legs at the start of 2016. He tried everything, including injections, physiotherapy, and massages. And while these activities helped, the relief was temporary, and he would feel the pain flare up as soon as he returned to golf.
By 2018 Steven was feeling the pain constantly, and the only solution he could see was to undergo spinal fusion to rectify the issue. Steven took a while to recover, but by 2020 he was back in action and returning to his former glory days as a champion.