Talkin' Tiger

[Vickie Lake]

While we are investigating the nature of Tiger's injuries and surgical options and choices, I would like to know how everyone is reacting to the "stuff" being whispered outloud by the masses.

Some have said:

"Tiger was faking it because he could jump around when he hit a good shot and only limped when he hit a ball less successfully."

"If the injury were that bad why has he waited so long to get the surgery."

"How could his rehabilitation have possibly created stress fractures and why didn't they know that before he went to The Open?"

"Oh yeah, he's hurt (note the sarcasm); did you see him falling down on his 'bad knee' in glee?"

"If his condition was so bad, why didn't he tell anyone until after he won?"

"He injured himself because of the shear power of his swing."

"This guy has the best trainers and doctors available. What chance does anyone else have at avoiding golf related injuries."

"Tiger probably hurt himself because of his workout program. How else could he have bulked up so much? He used to be scrawny"

"He's got plenty of money and fame. What would make someone take such a risk?"

So, we have all heard and read the plethora of comments, speculations, and criticisms, just try to avoid them. Add your own list of public comments and/or respond to any (or all) of these and let us know what you think. I have opinions and anatomical insight to share but I will let the respondents take the lead.

I will be on daily to see if anyone wants to play. When we get some REAL data I will offer a full over view. I will also talk about ways to avoid or correct the precussors for these problems.

It ain't the sport folks.

Vik

[golfbulldog]

I saw limited coverage of his play but noted that there may be some truth to the apparent inconsistency in "illness behaviour" that Tiger demonstrated.

Not so much it was :-

bad shot=ouch..my sore knee

good shot = no problem

Actually more variable than that ...I am sure somebody will have a video of this behaviour on Youtube soon ...Tiger is never off the screen!

The question that then arises is "does a real injury always lead to demonstrable pain behaviour on every shot?" ....answer = no.

So "does variable/inconsistent pain behaviour prove that he was faking it" ...answer = no.

Let us see the MRI

But if that left knee is really going for surgery number four then I think that Tiger has peaked in terms of his "power golf" swing...but he might come back with his version of "modern Fundamentals" swing...less power , more precision...and I would not put it past him to try left handed so that he can use his right knee!!

There are questions about the timing of this incident with drug testing coming in...always a murky topic... one which Tiger would do well to silence by what might be seen as "out of season" testing right now.

[Yoda]

"Oh yeah, he's hurt (note the sarcasm); did you see him falling down on his 'bad knee' in glee?"

Thanks for starting this thread, Vickie. Should be interesting!



I don't believe Tiger was 'fakin' it', but I gotta admit, every time he went down on his knee, I couldn't help but think, "What's going on here?" And the subsequent revelation of "double stress fractures" of the shin bone have only added to the mystery.



I look forward to your insights.

[dkerby]

I did not see the Golf Channel explanation but a pro friend
said that the Golf Channel fellow showed that Tiger came
through follow through by spinning on the ball of his left
foot putting stress against the left leg. Where as Hogan and Nicklaus both bowed the left leg and let the weight go to the outside of the left foot.
Maybe somebody that saw the footage can relay the real story.

[Vickie Lake]

I appreciate the posts. And I think anyone interested in golf or sports in general are asking questions and making up answers. I am no more privileged than anyone else in terms of knowing the details of Tiger's pathology. But there are some thoughts I want to share as we investigate with a cloudy microscope.

Tiger is in incredible physical condition. Period. Forget the physique that makes him a formidable physical specimen, and I mean that in the professional sense. Higher levels of fitness and health raise the ability of athletes to perform under very difficult conditions and typically to perform longer with developing injuries and also to recover more efficiently and often sooner than us average folk. So . . . Tiger could have waited on his surgery for a lot of reasons but the most obvious to me is that the recovery for ACL surgery will be longer, more arduous and mysterious in terms of the effect on his career.

Oddly enough Golf is not considered a high risk activity for the anterior cruciate ligament. The inflammation caused by injury, however, is a great pain activator. The fact is there is more vulnerability to the symptoms an ACL tear when the knee is straightened, hyperextended, twisted, or bent to the side as we see in walking and shifting weight to the left leg in the golf swing; it's obvious that his new foot rotation was a way to minimize these effects of his follow through.

Interestingly enough, while there is a forward shift in the tibia when the knee is straightened completely this is not the case when the knee is bent. Oh initially bending the knee is risky but after about 30 degrees the tibia realigns with the femur in a correct relationship. The symptoms that are incurred in walking and swinging are no longer inherent in the kneeling position.

I will only hint at the powerful effects of mental toughness but will strongly suggest that the adrenaline that must pump through your body when you make a shot that contributes to a win must be more profound than when you get excited over your dog sitting on command. Adrenaline is a great, natural pain masking chemical that is manufactured honestly; you can't fake it or force it. Have you ever had an injury or illness that made you incapable of moving and suddenly you reacted to something you see quickly out of the corner of your eye . . . for that second you didn't feel anything and then you catch yourself and yowsa! the pain rushes in like a strong north wind? Think about it.

And back to mental toughness, how many athletes do we know that work through the pain? Heck, I know a lot of recreational golfers that play weekly even though they have chronic back or shoulder pain. Of course, that is before they meet me; shameless plug. I ran the Peachtree Road Race once with a sprained ankle; yeah, there was money on the table. I was slower but competitive with a steady gait. Steady until I had to avoid another runner who darted across my very intentional straight path. At that point I would roll just slightly in the ankle and would limp for about ten steps, grimacing to keep from crying, until the ankle was soundly aligned and steady again until the next time. I don't know if it was the bet or my pride that got me through it but everytime I passed a mile marker I got a spirt of energy. I paid a price by slowing my recovery and I was lucky not to have created a bigger problem but it was worth it. I promise my prize winnings were not as public or profitable as Tiger's and I wouldn't take it back for a minute.

Ok, that's just a start. The stress fracture will have to wait till the next post. I know there are some PT's and othopedic specialists on this site that will hopefully share some experience.

Tiger the best golfer of all time? Tiger best athlete? I don't know about either position but I do know that the boy turned man before our eyes keeps people talking on and off the greens.

Let's talk more.

Vik

[Yoda]

Great post, Vickie. I'm reading and learning. Thanks!

Anybody out there with an injury similar to (or, better yet, identical with) Tiger's? If so, do tell.

For the rest of us . . . post your thoughts!

Not only is this thread topical, it also can help us 'weekend warriors' avoid injury in the pursuit of our favorite sport.

[bond007]

I experienced both anterior and posterior ligament damage as well as cartilage damage and replacement due to a severe football injury in high school. As a result of that damage and subsequent problems over the years (arthritic spurs, miniscus tears, etc.) I have had to learn to play around this issue.
Because the injury was to the left knee I have learned to play with a rotation of the left foot outward in varying degrees, depending on flexibility and or pain. Turning the left foot outward reduces the torque on the left knee and allows me to stand on the left side at finish without pain or undue stress.
Although I have only dreamed of playing at Tiger's level, I have enjoyed the game for 50+ years since that injury and still do to this day!
I wondered why Tiger never stumbled across turning the left foot outward and thereby preclude the necessity of spinning on the left foot? I realize that the outward turn could reduce hip rotation to the right but a preset could offset that. In any event, at his level of ability I am sure he could have worked through it.
I wish him well in his recovery and look forward to his successful return.

[Vickie Lake]

Bond007 has certainly suffered enough to ask some tough questions. Considering Tiger's accessibility to trainers and biomechanical investigative resources, I must assume he had a plan for his various adaptations to his golf swing. The fact, at this point with so little accurate medical information, is that Tiger has been experiencing some level of deterioration to the knee, certainly, since 1994 when he had his first knee surgery to remove a benign cyst. Fluid associated with knee issues are indicators of soft tissue problems. The very necessary valgus positioning in any adjusted golf swing keeps the knee in a vulnerable state. Professional athletes are slow to reveal their various health problems, all of which contribute to changes in the way they play their sport. I am trying to unearth a variety of problems including some back problems Tiger has suffered over the years. The reports are vague and inconsistent but I believe not all of his swing changes were just about getting more accuracy. I think if we knew all the details of his physiology we would be even more impressed with his ability to command such a presence in the sport. I would say that his combination of love of golf and physical injuries contributed greatly to his committment to a training program that has kept him in the game at all.

[Bagger Lance]

Tigers injury was front and center for most of the tournament and he either played it up for drama purposes, and/or it was real.

I was fixated on every shot as a result. Yes, I'm a sucker for good TV drama.

He made it look real (on the bad shots) and frankly, I still believe he was in pain. How much pain, it's hard to know...

He's out for the season and maybe its something he is looking forward to. Maybe this was planned months or years in advance. After all, he has a young family and he's been hard at it for years. Sometimes to get through to the next level you have to take a break.

How many personal coaches other than golf does this guy have?
Mental
Physical
Medical
Media
Financial
Philanthropy
etc
etc

In other words - It's all part of the plan.

[Vickie Lake]

Bagger, You always raise the bar! Quickly I just want to say that Tiger couldn't pick a worse or better time for a break. This will be a great time to have with his young family for sure but I wouldn't want to trade places with him on the rehabilitation front. This surgery will test even the most Herculean athlete, and I think we could have said Tigerlean. The physical pain will be substantial on it's own, but then redesigning all of the stroke movements will really test his mission. Then there is the uncertainty of the surgery, the outcome and then the effect on his short term and long term career. I heard someone, in the post office of all places, sarcastically state that "he" should be satisfied with his fame and fortune and just take his money and run. I could not keep my mouth shut and turned with my best southern belle smile and asked the gentleman if he played golf. He said, and I am not kidding this is a quote, "Well no little lady, I don't seem to have time for the game". So dripping polite venom I replied, "I am so sorry. That must be why you don't understand either the passion or the heart these players bring to the game so that even people who don't understand it can be entertained and have something to talk about". Thank goodness it wasn't my post office.

There is never a good time to have surgery on critical joints but there are necessary times and I believe that Tiger put it off just as long as he could. He may have pushed his envelope at the Open but most players find a way back to the game. I think I'll bet on Mr. Woods and a fascinating future.

More later. Keep it coming.