Phil Mickelson hopes to overtake Tiger Woods as the number one golfer in the world, after spending more than 258 weeks as number 2—an all-time record. No player has spent more time in the top 10 than Mickelson without capturing the top spot, MSN reports.
But in his drive to top the rankings, the golfing legend is battling a tougher foe than Tiger Woods, whose game has faltered in the wake of a highly publicized divorce from Elin Nordgren. Mickelson, 40, was recently diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, an autoimmune disease affecting joints. It struck a few days before the U.S. Open, leaving him in such agony that he couldn’t walk.
How might arthritis impact Phil Mickelson’s bid to dethrone Tiger Woods?
Psoriatic arthritis affects about two million Americans and is linked to psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin disease that sparks raised red, scaly patches. Among the celebrities affected by this devastating disorder are country singer LeAnn Rimes and bestselling author John Updike (an avid amateur golfer), who described his battle with severe psoriasis as being “at war with my skin,” in Journal of a Leper.
“About 10 years after a psoriasis diagnosis, 25 percent of patients go on to develop psoriatic arthritis,” says Christopher Ritchlin, MD, MPD, professor of medicine in the allergy, immunology and rheumatology division of University of Rochester Medical Center in New York. “Trauma from sports can sometimes be a factor, but the disease is also genetic. If you have psoriatic arthritis, there’s a 40 percent chance that someone in your family also has it.”
Symptoms can strike suddenly, adds Dr. Ritchlin, who is not involved in Mickelson’s care. “Joints can get very inflamed and people can wake up with their fingers swollen like sausages. People often think it’s an infection and go the ER.”
In a press conference, Mickelson said, “Every joint in my body hurt to where I couldn’t move. I would just lay down and couldn’t roll over.” Compounding the stress of this excruciating disorder for the golfer, his wife, Amy, 37, and his mom, Mary, are both battling breast cancer, in a devastating coincidence. Psoriatic arthritis halted the career of professional golfer Bob Murphy in the 1980s due to severe pain and swelling,
While there’s still no cure for psoriatic arthritis, recent advances in treatment have helped put Mickelson back in contention for the coveted number one spot. The PGA superstar says that he’s back to “100 percent,” thanks to weekly injections of Enbrel, a biologic medication that blocks a molecule involved in both skin and joint inflammation.
“Early, aggressive treatment can improve the outcome and so far, Phil Mickelson appears to have had an excellent response,” says Dr. Ritchlin. “Many people treated with Enbrel and similar agents go into remission and can resume active or even athletic lives.”
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To learn more about psoriatic arthritis, visit MedlinePlus, WebMD or the National Psoriasis Foundation.
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