Column Treatment Progress Report No.104: a Patient Who Experienced Pain When Playing Golf

March 23, 2024

The patient

A male patient in his 50s

Treated in May 2023. Approximately 10 months have passed since treatment.

Symptoms and treatments

This patient had disc degeneration in the area indicated by the red frame (L5/S).

Pre-treatment medical history and treatments

In his 30s, he suffered 2 episodes of strained lower back.

In January 2023, while playing golf, he suddenly felt pain in his right buttock. He took painkillers and patches and kept an eye on his condition.

In March 2023, he visited a local orthopedic clinic, where he had an MRI scan and was diagnosed with disc herniation.

The patient visited our clinic seeking to improve his symptoms.

Post-treatment progress

The table below shows the results of the patient’s own evaluation of the pain in each body site on a scale of 0 to 10.

No pain at all is rated as 0 and 10 as the maximum possible pain.

The following is feedback from the patient when contacted for follow-up.

After one week, the pain in his lower back had increased slightly, but overall, the other symptoms had slightly improved.

After 3 months, he felt a strange sensation and numbness in his right leg. Since it did not affect his daily life, he started playing golf again.

After 6 months, he was able to play golf for about 3 hours after work without feeling any pain. He was glad that he had decided to get the treatment.

In this case, we think that the cause of the patient’s symptoms was the degeneration in the L5/S intervertebral disc. We also think that L5/S was diagnosed as a herniated disc due to the degeneration of the intervertebral disc.

After the treatment, we asked the patient to rest for about 2 months, and then to resume playing golf once the symptoms had subsided. We are glad that the patient is now able to play golf without any symptoms.

Because golf involves twisting the waist, it is a sport known to cause back pain. If you know someone who is currently suffering from back pain due to playing golf or other sports, we would be happy to offer advice at our clinic.

This is a collaborative article between Golf Digest and our clinic.

The golfer’s arch enemy: the battle against lower back pain

* It takes approximately 3 weeks to 3 months to see the full effects of the treatment.

* Effects in the treatment may vary according to individual differences. Please be aware that there is a possibility that the exact same effects may not be replicated every time.

Our clinic’s treatment method

Here is some additional information about the Cellgel method that we have presented here.

Cost of the Cellgel method: 1,320,000 yen per site (including tax) to 1,760,000 yen for 5 sites (including tax)

Cost for this patient’s case: Cellgel performed in 2 areas = 1,430,000 yen (including tax)

Risks and side effects of the Cellgel method: Transient pain may occur after treatment. Due to the very nature of the treatment, the possibility of nerve damage is not nonexistent, but so far there have been no reports of damage in either reported cases or publications. There is a very small possibility of allergic reactions to the local anesthetic. Symptoms may temporarily worsen during the first week or two after treatment. This is believed to be due to the decompression effect of the implant, which pulls in the surrounding tissues. Also, if the disc is almost completely worn out, it may not be possible to treat it. The doctor will consult with you during your visit to determine the best treatment option for your condition.

For more detailed information, please refer to the following links:

Column page explaining the Cellgel method in an easy-to-understand manner

Page of the Cellgel procedure at our clinic

This article was written by the administrative Director of our clinic