U2 360 Tour Delayed After Bono Injures Back

May 27, 2010— -- Preparing for a worldwide music tour can be backbreaking work, especially if you're pushing 50.

Bono, U2's lead singer, learned this the hard way last week when he suffered a herniated disc and severe compression of the sciatic nerve and had to be rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency back surgery.

While training for the upcoming U.S. leg of U2's 360 degrees tour, the singer experienced severe back pain and partial paralysis of his leg before he was admitted to Maximilians-University Hospital in Munich, according to a statement on his website.

"Surgery was the only course of treatment for full recovery and to avoid further paralysis," said Dr. Jorg Tonn, who performed the operation, in a press release. Tonn said Bono's prognosis was excellent.

"Maybe he just overdid it and hurt himself," bandmate the Edge said in a Skype interview posted to U2's website.

With months of recovery ahead of him, Bono had to call off -- at least for now -- U2's North American tour.

In an interview posted to U2's website, Bono said he was "heartbroken" about the cancellation. U2's manager, Paul McGuinness said, "'Our biggest, and I believe best tour, has been interrupted, and we're all devastated ... but the most important thing right now is that Bono make a full recovery."

Bono was released from the Munich hospital Tuesday and will follow a rehab regimen for at least eight weeks.