Leading up to last year's U.S. Open,
Phil
Mickelson started feeling pain near his right ankle.
His left index finger and right wrist felt as if they were
sprained. Chalking the aches up to common wear and tear from
hitting countless golf balls, Mickelson wasn't concerned and
finished in a tie for fourth in the nation's championship at
Pebble Beach.
A week later, however, on a family vacation, the aches and
pains had migrated to other parts of his body, and Mickelson
could barely sleep.
"I was laying in bed and any movement was painful. I had to go
lie on the couch because whenever (wife) Amy would move it
would hurt," the four-time major champion said. "I remember
thinking at 3 in the morning about what is this going to do?
How is this going to affect my playing career, my every day
life playing with my kids? Those were my first concerns.
"A few days later I went out to play golf and the pain had
extended to my shoulders and I wasn't able to take the club
back."
Mickelson, one of golf's biggest stars for more than 20 years
and counts 38
PGA Tour
wins among his titles, immediately sought help and was
diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, a chronic inflammatory
disease caused by an overactive immune system that can affect
not only the body's joints but also the skin. A treatment
program, including medication, was immediately implemented and
the affliction is now under control. So much so that Mickelson
played the last six weeks on the European and PGA tours.
This week he's not playing in the Honda Classic. Instead, in a
media blitz today in New York, Mickelson will launch "On Course
with Phil," an education program dedicated to providing
information on the symptoms and treatment for people who may be
living with certain chronic inflammatory joint and skin
conditions. Among those diseases are psoriatic arthritis
(approximately 600,000 American adults have psoriatic
arthritis), rheumatoid arthritis or plaque psoriasis.
A new website (
www.OnCourseWithPhil.com) has been
created to provide information. The program, in collaboration
with
Amgen
and
Pfizer,
also includes the Joint Smart Coalition, a new effort between
the Arthritis Foundation and the National Psoriasis Foundation,
which are dedicated to educating people with chronic
inflammatory conditions. Mickelson also will speak about the
program at feature functions.
Many people with psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or
plaque psoriasis can remain undiagnosed or untreated. In
diseases like psoriatic arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis,
early diagnosis and treatment are critical, as joint damage can
occur early. For people with plaque psoriasis or psoriatic
arthritis, skin inflammation can become a significant problem.
"The reason I have been successful in my treatment program is
because I got on it right away," said Mickelson, who said he
has regained the 20% of strength he lost last year during the
early stages of treatment. "I got a quick diagnosis and got on
a treatment program right away. The campaign will stress how
important it is to take action — to see a rheumatologist, to
get a diagnosis and to get on a treatment program right away
before permanent damage has been done or the disease has
progressed.
"What we're going to try and do is tell my story, explain some
of the things I went through, the fears and concerns I had, and
to provide a vehicle for people to find out
information."Christopher Ritchlin, a rheumatologist who is a
consultant for the Mickelson campaign, said many people remain
undiagnosed or untreated.
"I see every day how debilitating these illnesses can be — both
physically and emotionally," Ritchlin said. "Every patient is
different. I recommend that patients experiencing joint pain,
stiffness or swelling, or skin inflammation with patches of
raised, itchy red skin speak to their specialists about their
symptoms so they can find the appropriate treatment plan."
The biz has been buzzing over
