Casey Stoner announced he underwent spinal surgery three months ago due to an injury suffered in 2003.
Casey Stoner. Credit: Gold and Goose.
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Two-time MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner has spoken about the fresh surgery he underwent earlier this year for a spinal injury suffered in 2003.
Stoner, who retired from MotoGP at the end of the 2012 season, had a number of well-documented health problems over the years, perhaps most notably chronic fatigue, which often prevented him from racing at all.
The spinal problem for which Stoner had surgery this year is a lesser-known problem, but one he says first arose when he crashed into hay bales in 2003, his second full season in the 125cc world championship.
Casey Stoner
In a post on his Instagram account, Stoner says the pain caused by the injury was something he had suffered with for over 20 years, but surgery finally relieved his back pain.
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“Today has been three months since I had my L5-S1 fusion and L4-5 disc replacement,” Casey Stoner wrote in a social media post.
“It all started with an accident in 2003 when I hit my head on some hay bales. The impact compressed my spine, and although I tried my best for over 20 years, the last couple of years – and especially the last six months – have become unbearable. It got to the point where surgery was the only real option.”
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“The recovery definitely had its ups and downs, but overall my back has never felt this good for as long as I can remember.
“What surprised me the most was the realization that even when I previously thought my back felt ‘good,’ I was still living with constant pain. Only now have I experienced what having no back pain really means.
“I am incredibly grateful to my surgeon and the entire medical team who cared for me throughout this entire process. Thank you for giving me back my quality of life.”
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