RINGO SECRET OP EXCLUSIVE
Apr 25 2004
Beatles legend beats bone agony but faces struggle to drum again
RINGO Starr has had secret surgery on his shoulder after years of drumming took its toll.
Friends of the 63-year-old former Beatle fear he may struggle to play drums again after the operation in a Californian hospital to correct the painful medical condition bone spurs - an abnormal bone growth on joints.
Ringo is recovering from the op and has had to cancel his All Starr band's programme of gigs.
His condition is a common complaint suffered by top sportsmen - especially baseball and tennis players. A source close to Ringo, who has been drumming since he was 16, said: "He was told this could be something to do with his drumming.
"He uses his arm much more than normal. It's been hurting him for some time.
"He's resting up now while undergoing physiotherapy and is determined this will not stop him playing in future. He's well on the way to recovery."
Ringo, who celebrated his 23rd wedding anniversary to former James Bond girl Barbara Bach last week, checked into a Los Angeles hospital recently and is now taking it easy at home. The growths usually affect older people but can hit young adults, particularly athletes or dancers, who put unusual stress on muscles, ligaments and tendons. The hips, knees, shoulders, neck and spine are all prone to the bone build-ups.
Cartilage wears away as bones rub against each other, causing severe pain and limiting joint movement .
Symptoms include stiffness or pain in the neck or back, pins-and-needles, tingling in the neck, arms or hands and sharp pain when putting weight on one or both feet.
Ringo, who had six solo hits in the 70s, including Back Off Boogaloo, may not be able to play for at least six months following his surgery in January. A UK expert told the Sunday Mirror: "I would not be surprised if the years of repetitive actions have led to bone spurs.
"Sportsmen such as Tim Henman are rumoured to have suffered them but they haven't stopped him playing tennis. They don't always need surgery but they can be quite painful. As long as he rests there is no reason he shouldn't make a full recovery."
He added: "Lifting the arms a lot could result in chafing of the tissues between the bones around the shoulder joint."
Ringo's spokeswoman Elizabeth Freund last night said he had the op after being in pain for some time.
She said: "Ringo had bone spur ortho shoulder surgery in January in LA.
"He is fine now. It is quite a common problem and a lot of people suffer from it."
BONE spurs - or osteophytes - are bony projections from joints, often the result of arthritis. On the shoulder, the spur and inflamed tissue are usually removed using arthroscopic surgery with a small camera instead of a major incision.
ROCKED BY INJURIES
ROCK stars and other musicians can fall victim to a whole medical textbook full of specialist injuries.
Gravel-voiced ROD STEWART needed surgery on his thyroid in May 2000 to remove a growth.
Last year Status Quo guitarist RICK PARFITT had to take a break because of repetitive strain injury (RSI).
Folk-rock guitar hero RICHARD THOMPSON suffers from the same problem so badly he has to ice his arm before and after every gig. The Who legend PETE TOWNSEND's hearing has been badly damaged by years standing in front of loud amplifer stacks.
And former US President BILL CLINTON, who wears a hearing aid for partial deafness, blames it on his early years playing saxophone in clubs.
There are scores more musical injuries - including fiddler's neck, tuba lips, violinist's jaw, horn player's palsy, guitar nipples and harpist's cramp. Bagpipers are threatened by a fungus growing inside their instruments.
http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/news/fullnewsbottom/page.cfm...372&method=full&siteid=106694
