"My disk actually split, and I had stuff leak out and dry up around my sciatic nerve.
"I had referred pain all the way to the bottom of my left foot.
"I've still got a bit of numbness in the outside of my left foot and I've got no reflexes in my left ankle."
Add one failed operation before a second got him into shape, and Winderlich is just thrilled to be back in the game.
"I didn't run for six or seven months last year when I had the first operation that didn't work, so I had to have another operation.
"So the first time I ran was about December 22nd or 23rd last year – I missed a lot of conditioning work before Christmas.
"There were times I thought I wouldn't play again, but obviously I'm stoked to be back playing.
"I'm playing with a lot more freedom now, I think, because it's a bonus that I am back.
"For a while there I didn't think that I'd come back to play, so now I play with a real freedom because if something happens, it happens – if not, then good."
Fellow Bomber Scott Gumbleton has been plagued by injury in his short AFL career, and has just had a similar operation to Winderlich.
"I went and saw him the other day and he's progressing really well," Winderlich said.
"He had to get the operation done; he couldn't have just let it heal with two months rest.
"He's had a couple of terrible hamstring injuries that were probably related to his back, they've suggested.
"He could be back playing within 12 weeks if everything goes to plan, but if not, he'll be back playing within 15 or 16 weeks, and that way at least he'll have nothing holding back his next pre-season."
