Despite that, rates of fusion surgery in the U.S. ballooned more than 200 percent throughout the 1990s, and the number of instrumented spine surgeries being performed annually has nearly doubled since 2013.

Michael Markmiller was in excruciating pain for years. The 53-year-old couldn’t walk more than 100 meters without his legs going numb or stand up straight without sharp pains going down his legs. The surgeons he talked to suggested fusing the vertebrae ...

The Blade has provided a medical update one year after undergoing spinal fusion surgery. The 45-year-old hasn’t wrestled since early 2024 and had surgery in September of that year. During a recent appearance on the Talk’n Shop podcast with Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, Blade said he’s getting closer to being cleared to return.