Tiger Woods has inflamed neck joint, full recovery expected

Tiger Woods got some rare good news when he underwent an MRI in Orlando Wednesday. He doesn't have the bulging disk he feared but an inflamed joint in his neck.

He announced on his Web site that the prognosis is for a "full recovery" but did not say how quickly he might return to golf. The layoff is not expected to be extensive but "can vary," his Web site said.

"I want to thank everyone for their caring and concern," Woods said in a statement posted on the site. "I now need to take care of this condition and will return to playing golf when I'm physically able."

The inflammation is in a facet joint. The small stabilizing joints exist in pairs between and behind adjacent vertebrae, separated by a thin layer of cartilage. According to the Web site, inflamed facet joints can bring on pain, headaches and difficulty rotating the head. According to an article by Dr. Charles Ray, they provide about 20% of the twisting stability of the neck and can be aggravated by twisting motions such as a golf swing.

Woods said at a press conference on Monday that there was "zero connection" between his current neck problems and the sore neck he said he experienced after he crashed his SUV into a fire hydrant Thanksgiving night.

No surgery will be required. Treatment will involve physical therapy, soft-tissue massage, rest and anti-inflammatory medication. Except for the rest, Woods had been following that regimen but said the condition steadily got worse. Injections can also be used, but Woods did not indicate they would be necessary.

Woods said last week that he needed to play and practice more to get back on track, but that doesn't fit in with a prescription of rest. It might take some time before he feels comfortable enough with his game to test it again.

Woods had been planning to defend his championship at the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, the first week of June, two weeks before the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, where he roared to a historic 15-shot victory in 2000.

Woods withdrew from The Players Championship last Sunday after his neck "locked up," he said. After missing the cut at Quail Hollow the week before, he made some of the ugliest shots of his career at TPC Sawgrass.

His swing coach, Hank Haney, resigned on Monday amid rumors that he would be fired.

-NY Daily News