An Interview with Dr. Wainer: Tiger Woods’ Injury and Prognosis
(Click on the video player to see the full interview)

Dr. Robert Wainer was interviewed by the Fox Television affiliate, WGHP FOX 8 of High Point, NC on Thursday, June 19, 2008.  Sports Anchor Kevin Connolly interviewed Dr. Wainer on Thursday morning and the segment aired that night and throughout the weekend of June 21-22 on the FOX 8 Evening News during the Sports Report.

Golf fans know that Tiger Woods won the US Open Golf Tournament in dramatic fashion in a 19 Hole Playoff on Monday, June 16. And then, causing an even greater stir in the world of sports, came the announcement that Tiger would not play for the rest of the year due to an ACL injury to his left knee. A media frenzy began immediately, speculating what his injury was, and what would it do to the career of perhaps the greatest golfer to ever play the game.

In the Piedmont Triad Region of North Carolina, one of the first local orthopaedic physicians to be interviewed about Tiger’s sports injury was Dr. Robert Wainer of Murphy-Wainer Orthopedic Specialists in Greensboro, NC. Dr. Wainer, who has more than 20 years of Orthopedic and Sports Medicine experience in the area, was asked to explain the ACL and “Stress Fractures” that Tiger was reported to have sustained within the last year.

An avid golfer who truly loves the game, Dr. Wainer provided a wealth of information, clearly explaining the nature of Tiger’s injuries so that golf fans could easily understand. Dr. Wainer used an anatomical knee model as he demonstrated the normal anatomy of a knee, and then illustrated what the reported ACL and Tibial Stress Fractures were in Tiger Woods’ knee. Dr. Wainer was able to explain in simple detail why Tiger was able to play golf in the US Open and not feel pain until after he had hit the ball. He then made it clear to viewers why Tiger would grimace in pain as he rotated onto his injured knee during his follow-through.

Not only did Dr. Wainer talk about the injuries sustained, but he demonstrated the sequence of Tiger’s entire golf swing, and what Tiger was feeling at each point in his swing. It was truly enlightening to see this graphic explanation and to hear a thorough discussion of how orthopedic surgery would correct the problem. Finally, Dr. Wainer described the rehabilitation process that Tiger would most likely go through as well as his general opinion that Tiger would come back to the tour stronger than ever. 

In light of Dr. Wainer’s past experience, it is no surprise that Dr. Wainer was chosen for an expert interview about Tiger Woods’ injury and prognosis. The physicians and staff at Murphy-Wainer Orthopedic Specialists and his colleagues at Southeastern Orthopaedic Specialists are proud to be associated with such a fine orthopaedic surgeon and respected sports medicine specialist as Dr. Robert Wainer.