Richard Guyer performed anterior lumbar interbody fusion surgery on Woods, fusing together his L5 and S1 vertebrae, most likely with titanium or high-grade medical plastic, injected with synthetic protein or bone cells. Wellington Hsu, a professor of orthopedic surgery and neurological surgery at Northwestern University, has studied athlete recovery from spinal fusion surgeries. For golfers, he pegged the successful return after spinal fusion surgery as a “0 percent success rate.”Hsu has seen players return to the NBA, NHL and NFL with few problems. From that example, Hsu came to believe the demands of playing golf after fusion surgery, owing to the rotational force of the swing, were greater than any other sport. “All of a sudden,” Woods said Sunday, "I could actually swing a golf club again.”[Thomas Boswell: Tiger Woods, golf prodigal, returns with a roar.

Source: Washington Post April 16, 2019 10:00 UTC