Veteran actor William Shatner has undergone shoulder surgery after sustaining a serious injury in a horseback riding accident.
The 94-year-old TV and film star revealed that he shattered his right shoulder after falling from one of his horses late last year and underwent the procedure on March 11.
Shatner discussed the injury while speaking with reporters during the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films’ 53rd annual Saturn Awards in Burbank, California, where he accepted the Hall of Fame award on behalf of the “Star Trek” franchise.
Shatner explained that he regularly rides horses trained for competitive equine skills that require sudden stops at high speeds. During one ride, he said, the horse moved unexpectedly, causing him to lose his balance.
“The horse that I owned, I came off,” he said. “She had a habit of going, you know, not far, like six inches to the side.”
Despite decades of stunt experience from his acting career, the fall left him seriously injured.
“I’m not a young stuntman anymore, so I started to roll, and I hit the dirt with my shoulder,” Shatner said. “So I wrecked my shoulder.”
He described the procedure as a “new type of shoulder operation called a reverse something or other,” adding that the surgery involved reversing the placement of the ball-and-socket components of the joint in hopes of restoring mobility and reducing pain.
In recent months, Shatner has also spoken publicly about another long-term health issue: tinnitus, a condition he has experienced for decades.
In a promotional video for the nonprofit Tinnitus Quest, Shatner recalled that the problem began while filming the “Star Trek” episode “Arena” in the 1960s, when he stood too close to a special-effects explosion.
“The result was that I was left with permanent tinnitus,” Shatner said in the video, adding that the condition has brought “many ups and downs” throughout his life.
According to the Mayo Clinic, tinnitus refers to the perception of ringing or other sounds in one or both ears when no external sound is present. The condition affects roughly 15 percent to 20 percent of people and is particularly common among older adults.
The actor has previously addressed health rumors on social media. In September 2025, after reports circulated that he had been hospitalized for a blood sugar issue at his Los Angeles home, Shatner posted a photo of himself on Instagram, writing, “Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated!” He added that he had “overindulged” but was “perfectly fine,” thanking fans for their concern.
Born in Montreal in 1931, Shatner rose to international fame for portraying Captain James T. Kirk in the original “Star Trek” television series, which premiered in 1966. He later reprised the role in multiple feature films and became a prominent figure in science fiction culture.
His career has spanned decades across television, film, and stage, including award-winning performances in the legal drama “Boston Legal.” In 2021, he became the oldest person to travel to space when he flew aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket at age 90.
