March 11, 2011
Lifechangers: Phil Mickelson Tackles Psoriatic Arthritis
Golf pro Phil Mickelson celebrated winning The Masters last year with his wife and mom, who were both battling breast cancer, but he didn't know he'd also be facing his own health scare.
"After the U.S. Open last year, I wasn't able to move," Mickelson admitted to "Extra." "I couldn't get out of bed. I had swelling, stiffness in my joints and couldn't move, just excruciating pain. I couldn't swing a golf club, and I was a little worried."
The golfer found out he had psoriatic arthritis and credits early detection and his treatment program for getting him back on track. "By getting an early diagnosis, I was able to start a treatment program right away with the goal of slowing or stopping the progression of damage to my joints."
Now Mickelson is turning "Extra" Lifechanger in getting the word out about the disease. "I didn't feel the information was properly out. What I did was partner with Amgen and Pfizer to create OnCoursewithPhil.com."
Now that Mickelson's arthritis is under control, he's ready to defend his title with his wife, Amy, by his side. "We're both managing our symptoms and dealing with our treatment well and we're excited about the upcoming year."
For more information, go to OnCoursewithPhil.com
