In a single-car accident in Southern California Tuesday morning, Tiger Woods suffered the latest series of physical setbacks in a career that has seen no shortage of them.
But what more can be said about the extent of Tiger’s injuries and what he might face in his recovery?
Tiger Woods’ team details serious injuries, surgery following car wreck
On Tuesday evening, Woods’ team posted a statement on the golfer’s social-media accounts that offers some insights into these questions.
For additional answers, GOLF.com asked Dr. Kirk Campbell, sports medicine specialist and orthopedic surgeon at NYU Langone Health, in New York City, to help us better understand Woods’ condition, based on the available information, plus what the future might hold for him.
Here’s Dr. Campbell’s analysis of each specific injury:
Broken bones in Tiger’s lower right leg
According to information in the social media post, Woods’ injuries included “comminuted open fractures” in his right tibia and fibula.
“Comminuted” means the bones broke in multiple places (as opposed to a simple fracture, where a bone breaks in two). “Open” means those bone fragments pierced the skin.
A stock image of the tibia bones…
GETTY IMAGES (BOTH)
…and the slimmer fibula bones.
Woods had a metal rod inserted into his tibia (the thicker of the two lower leg bones and the main weight bearer). This rod is also known as an intramedullary nail and it is used to stabilize the tibia while it heals. With fractures to the thinner fibula, plates and screws are typically used to stabilize the bone. Bones typically take about six weeks for “initial healing,” Dr. Campbell said, and another “few months” to heal completely.
But for now, Dr. Campbell added, “it’s not really about the bones.” A greater concern is potential damage to nerves, arteries and muscles that run close by.
Fractures of the kind Woods endured also pose a risk of infection, Dr. Campbell said, something that will need to be monitored in the days and weeks ahead.
Broken bones in Tiger’s right foot and ankle
Tiger Woods’ car accident: Everything we know about what happened
Woods also suffered fractures in his right foot and ankle, which were stabilized with a combination of screws and pins. As with Woods’ lower leg, though, Dr. Campbell said, the bones themselves are less of a concern than other potential longer-term issues, including loss of mobility, depending on the exact location of the fractures, and arthritis.
State of Tiger’s left leg
Though initial reports suggested that Woods had injured both legs, the post from Woods’ team mentioned only Tiger’s right leg, not his left.
Nerves, arteries and muscles
According to Dr. Campbell, the kind of “high energy injuries” Woods suffered can create “orthopedic urgency and sometimes emergencies” stemming from damage to nerves, muscles and arteries. In the direst cases, the damage can be irreversible.
