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Once again, the world held its collective breath when the scene of a car accident was broadcast on live television and the name of Tiger Woods appeared on the screen. From what we know, Woods was involved in a car accident early Tuesday morning. His car rolled several times, but fortunately he was wearing a seat belt, which probably saved his life. The golf legend was transported to Harbor-UCLA, which is one of the busiest trauma centers in Los Angeles County and staffed with top-notch experienced surgeons.
Fortunately, his injuries are not life-threatening. We have some clues in the statements posted about Woods’ injuries. First, we hear about “compound” fractures, which are another term for an open fracture in which the broken bone goes through the skin. Every time the skin barrier is broken, bacteria and other contaminants can enter the bone and possibly cause an infection. The first important step in treating open fractures is getting IV antibiotics to flow through the bloodstream to the bones and the rest of the body. Second, the ends of the bones are cleaned in the sterile operating room before directly reattaching.
It is also said that Woods had a rod placed in a bone. This is one way to treat a fracture, since the bones are hollow. A stabilizer bar can be placed through smaller incisions, allowing the bone to heal in a better position. Sometimes the patient may even put their full weight on the fracture if it is an isolated bone injury, as the bar provides structural stability. Given the multiplicity of fractures, Woods may also have had plates with screws inserted, or something that stays out of the skin called an external fixator, which looks like a scaffold outside the skin. This is most commonly used during a “damage control” process with high energy trauma.
The most recent statement on Woods mentioned releasing the covering from his muscles to relieve pressure. Of all the possible injuries mentioned, this is the rarest and often the most serious. It points to a condition called compartment syndrome, which is a true orthopedic emergency. As bleeding or swelling occurs in the leg, pressure can overpower the body’s ability to pump blood to the leg muscles. As a result, the muscle can lose blood flow and begin to die if the pressure is not released. This may require multiple large incisions around the leg. Once the swelling subsides, the skin can sometimes close again from side to side, but other times the leg may require a skin graft.
We all tend to focus on the bones in these cases, but it may only take six to eight weeks for the bones to heal. The biggest problem for Woods may be the strength in his legs. High-level athletes use their entire body when competing. Whether it’s throwing, boxing, or swinging a golf club, generating energy and momentum are key to optimal results. Woods has already had segments of his spine fused due to repeated surgeries to remove bulging disc material. Once the parts of the spine fuse together, more and more rotation is lost. And with Woods’ powerful swing, every grade counts. In the future, you will need to heal your bones, but also your muscles. You will also need to strengthen those muscles and reestablish the orchestral performance that is a powerful golf swing. That can take a year or more even with arthroscopic knee surgery, much less multiple fractures and compartment syndrome.
It is too early to say whether he will play professional golf again, and there is no question that his injuries are a severe impediment to his chances of returning to the circuit, particularly since he is 40 years old and has suffered other races. threats of injury.
Woods’ tragedies are what makes him human, but his comebacks are what inspires him. You need to make sure you are surrounded by a good support team, both physically and emotionally. You will have to turn to your family, who will probably be your number one priority. The history of Woods has been marked by various peaks and valleys. Hopefully this is the deepest valley before the biggest peak.
• Jonathan D Gelber, MD, MS is an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist. He is the author of Tiger Woods’ Back and Tommy John’s Elbow: Injuries and Tragedies That Transformed Racing, Sports, and Society. You can follow him on Twitter at @JonathanGelber
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