11-Time WWE Champion Requires Major Shoulder Surgery

11-time WWE Champion Kurt Angle had a legendary wrestling career, spanning over two decades and multiple major promotions, including WWE and TNA.

He retired at WrestleMania 35 in April 2019 due to declining physical condition, particularly severe issues with his knees, which left him feeling broken down and wanting fans to remember him in his prime rather than struggling in the ring.

In a candid conversation with Ariel Helwani on his show, Kurt Angle provided an update on his health condition after the countless surgeries and rehab he’s had in the past years. He revealed that having his knees replaced made a significant improvement in his physical condition. However, surgery was not very effective for his lower back. So he tried core training instead, which, luckily, showed positive results.

“Well, I had my knees replaced, and that was a blessing. No pain in my knees — they’re great. I had surgery on my lower back, but that didn’t work at all. Then I started doing core training, and guess what? That worked — not the surgery.”

WWE Legend Kurt Angle’s Doctors Recommended Him To Postpone His Shoulder Surgery

During his chat with Helwani, Angle also disclosed that his shoulder problems persist, and he needs both replaced, but is not rushing the surgery due to only a 50/50 success rate. His doctor advised him to wait on shoulder replacements as developments in medical technology could yield better results in the coming years.

“But I have to have my shoulders replaced, and I’m not looking forward to that at all. Actually, the doctor said to me, ‘Listen, these are 50/50 — some people benefit from it, some don’t.’ He told me, ‘You might want to hold off because with new technology, they’re going to find something better. I promise you, in the next couple of years there will be some kind of improved method for shoulders, so you might want to just hang loose for a while.’”

Despite these surgeries, Angle actively works out with lighter weights to maintain his health and support his new knees.

“So I do what I can in the weight room. I can’t really lift heavy; I just go through the motions and keep my body in the best shape I can. I have to keep my weight lower because of my knees. Put it this way — they’re supposed to last me 20 years, but if I gain weight and get heavy, they’ll only last me 10.”

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