JUPITER, Fla. – Cardinals manager Mike Matheny returned to the team Thursday and said he’s feeling much better after undergoing surgery on his back Monday in St. Louis.
Matheny had four particles removed that had come in contact with a nerve after he suffered a ruptured disc in his back. He had dealt with severe pain for several days.
“It doesn’t take very much to make you appreciate the health that you have,” Matheny said. “Things like your back that you use all the time, you do take it for granted. It’s good to feel better.”
Matheny returned to St. Louis Sunday night and had the 90-minute procedure Monday morning. He followed the two Cardinals games he missed on the radio and returned to Jupiter on Wednesday’s off day.
He was instructed not to lift anything heavier than five pounds for eight weeks but was hopeful he could avoid any additional procedures. He will take things slow and probably won’t be throwing any batting practice in the near future.
“It was something, as much as I was going to try to put it off, it would not have gotten better on it’s own,” Matheny said. “It had to be taken care of.
“I was impressed with how much better I felt right away. I still have a long way to go but definitely better.”
