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Australian golf physio feared for Tiger's knee

Roar Rookie
19th June, 2008
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Australian golf fitness expert Ramsay McMaster feared Tiger Woods had come back too early from his knee operation. He takes no pleasure in having been proved right.

McMaster wrote in the latest edition of Australian Golf Digest, published a few days before the US Open, that Woods risked further injury by playing within two months of having surgery in April.

“Coming back earlier is likely to cause further trauma to the knee joint, wearing out the cartilage, which can lead to early degeneration and eventually osteoarthritis,” he wrote.

“We all want to see Tiger get better because he is such a great ambassador for the game. But it’s ironic that the player who is recognised as the pinnacle of golf fitness could end up with an arthritic old man’s knee at such an early age.”

McMaster, who runs golf-specific training programs at a clinic in Melbourne, said he was very upset to learn that Woods would now miss the rest of the season, and maybe longer.

“I was devastated when I read the news. It’s quite haunting to read that article now, and I take no pleasure in that,” he told AAP today.

McMaster, who has worked in the past with Geoff Ogilvy, Aaron Baddeley, Lee Westwood and others, emphasised that he had never met or treated Woods.

He was in awe of his performance at Torrey Pines, describing it as “one of the most amazing physical achievements I’ve ever seen”.

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“As a physio I cannot believe that he was able to do that. We talk about Tiger being mentally strong, but geez, to actually fight the pain he was going through was incredible.

“It’s not like a soccer player with a broken hand. It’s right on the core of his golf swing. I just hope he doesn’t pay a heavy price.”

McMaster is an advocate of golfers training smarter, rather than embracing the high-intensity, high-impact workouts that have become the fashion.

He believes Woods should give away his heavy schedules of weights, road running and treadmill work.

“He’s got to incorporate more of a cerebral fitness program where his brain and muscles are connected to his knee.”

He said he was pleased to learn that Woods will now stop doing what was previously hurting his knee, and says there is no reason he can’t come back better than ever.

“When golfers get the correct rehabilitation, they come back as improved players.

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“Tiger’s still got so much more time. He’s got 15 years to get five more majors (and pass Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18).”

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