Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry will have minor outpatient surgery on his right shoulder next week that will keep him off the campaign trail for four days.
Spokesman David Wade said the Massachusetts senator aggravated an old injury to the sub-scapularis tendon - which helps move the shoulder -- earlier this year when he braced himself against an abrupt stop on a bus tour in Iowa during the race for the Democratic nomination.
"He will have outpatient surgery on his shoulder on Wednesday at Massachusetts General Hospital," Wade said. "It's a quick procedure that usually lasts less than an hour."
The injury did not bother Kerry during a recent weeklong skiing and snowboarding vacation in Idaho nor does it prevent him from occasionally tossing a football or baseball with reporters and staff.
Wade said Kerry, 60, was in pain only when he made certain movements such as "picking up a baby on the rope line."
However, he wanted to repair the tear to prevent further injury and "decided it would be better just to get it fixed now," Wade added.