How WWE Broke Hulk Hogan: Surgeon Reacts To 19+ Major Surgeries!
How WWE Broke Hulk Hogan: Surgeon Reacts To 19+ Major Surgeries!
Hulk Hogan may have been the face of wrestling’s golden era — but the price of immortality has been brutal.
New footage and interview clips making the rounds this week have reignited conversations around Hogan’s staggering 19+ major surgeries, sparking a deeper look into just how much physical damage the WWE Hall of Famer has endured over his four-decade career. And now, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon has weighed in — and the reaction is eye-opening.
“His Body Was a Machine… Until It Broke Down.”
Dr. Alan Meyers, an orthopedic trauma specialist with over 20 years of experience, reviewed footage from Hogan’s recent podcast appearances and interviews, where the wrestling icon revealed he’s undergone:
Multiple back surgeries (including spinal fusion)
Double knee replacements
Hip replacement
Shoulder reconstruction
Countless procedures to repair nerve damage, torn muscles, and chronic arthritis
“Hulk Hogan’s case is what we in the medical world call cumulative trauma disorder, taken to an extreme,” said Dr. Meyers. “It’s a miracle he’s even walking.”
The Toll of “Working Hurt”
In the ‘80s and ‘90s, Hogan was wrestling upwards of 300 days a year — often without recovery time between matches. Wrestling insiders have long confirmed what Hogan himself has admitted: he was “working hurt” for years.
Every leg drop — his signature move — compressed his spine inch by inch. The wear-and-tear added up, eventually forcing multiple disc replacements and fusions in his lower back.
“That move was probably the worst thing I ever did to my body,” Hogan said in a 2023 interview. “If I could go back, I’d have picked a different finisher.”
“This Is What Happens When the Show Must Always Go On”
According to Dr. Meyers, Hogan’s condition isn’t unique — but it’s one of the most extreme cases of long-term physical deterioration due to sports entertainment.
“These guys aren’t just athletes — they’re stunt performers. What Hogan went through is closer to what I see in military veterans or extreme-action film stuntmen.”
Fans were stunned when Hogan revealed in early 2024 that he’s lost feeling in parts of his lower body after back surgery, and now uses a cane off-camera to stabilize himself.
Despite all this, the 12-time world champion remains in the public eye — appearing at WWE events, hosting podcasts, and inspiring fans who grew up idolizing the red-and-yellow legend.
Is There a Lesson Here?
While fans continue to celebrate the legacy of Hulkamania, some are questioning WWE’s history of overworking its talent during its peak years. Hogan is far from the only legend to suffer devastating physical consequences — but few have gone through as many surgeries and still kept smiling for the camera.
“I gave my life to this business,” Hogan said. “And if I had to do it again? Brother… I probably would.”
The Bottom Line: Hulk Hogan wasn’t just broken overnight. It took decades of slams, flights, painkillers, and pushing through injury to create a superhero — and just as long to unmask the toll it took.
