Here are four professional athletes who have had spine surgery so far in 2024:
1. Brooklyn Nets guard and forward Ben Simmons had a microscopic partial discectomy. Timur Urakov, MD, performed the surgery in consultation with Barth Green, MD, to alleviate a nerve impingement in his lower back. The procedure was done at UHealth Jackson Memorial Medical Center in Miami Gardens, Fla.
2. British Olympic diver Matty Lee had back surgery that will kept him from the 2024 Paris Olympics. Mr. Lee, who is from the U.K., had a lumbar discectomy. The procedure addressed chronic pain from a bulging disc. He didn't say where he had the surgery or who operated on him.
3. Andy Murray skipped the Wimbledon singles after having back surgery. He underwent back surgery to address a spinal cyst, the BBC reported June 24. The tennis player's team didn't say who operated on him or where he had the surgery.
4. Milwaukee Brewers player Christian Yelich was scheduled to undergo season-ending back surgery Aug. 16. Spine surgeon Brandon Rebholz, MD, of Milwaukee-based Medical College of Wisconsin, was set to operate on Mr. Yelich.