Herniated Disc

Injury: Herniated Disc
Intense pain from the inflammation and breaking of the discs that provide cushioning between spinal vertebrae.

Classic Casualty: Larry Bird Massive disc herniations sent Bird to the bench often and forced his retirement in 1992, when he was still a top scoring threat. When his back went, so did the Celtics.

Vintage Repair: Full or partial removal of the disc or vertebral bone
Recovery time: Six months to never

Herniated Disc

Modern Comeback: Randy Johnson Twisting his 6'10" frame to throw 100mph fastballs has damaged three discs. Microsurgery helped the Arizona Diamondbacks’ hurler return at age 43, fastball and all.

Future Fix: Microdiscectomies, the removal of just the injured part of the spinal disc, are becoming less invasive and better at alleviating the pain of pinched nerves. But the procedure still results in a loss of cushioning between vertebrae, making the back less resilient to general wear and tear and more likely to break down again. Now doctors are testing ceramic and metal-alloy prosthetic discs to replace—and even enhance—the cushioning lost through age and overuse. In the next decade, computer-assisted image-guided surgery and minimally invasive robotic surgeries will improve the precision and safety of spinal surgeries, which means shorter rehab time and improved function for the athlete.