Dr. Millett on Understanding Common Injuries in Golf.
If you’re among the millions of Americans who played a round of golf last year, you’re no doubt aware of the sport’s growing popularity. But with that popularity has come an unfortunate, if not unexpected, side effect: the golfing injury. Whether you’re trying to avoid the rushing river that hugs the 16th tee at the Roaring Fork Club or navigate the 7,156 yards of the Aspen Golf Course, the violent rotation of a swing can wreak havoc on the body.
The goal of a golf swing is to use the large muscles of the legs, back, and trunk to produce the kinetic energy that drives the arms through the ball. It may be simple physics, but it takes incredible control to keep all those body parts working in harmony. Pro golfers, who can take as many as 2,000 swings in a week, are susceptible to overuse injuries of the spine, shoulders, and wrists. For the weekend warrior, poor mechanics can add hands and elbows to the list of swingrelated injuries.
Luckily, there are a number of treatments from arthroscopic surgery to joint replacements that can remedy those injuries and get you back on the course in remarkably little time. (The bonus: A recent study found that more than two-thirds of recreational golfers who had shoulder- replacement surgery improved their scores by almost five strokes!) After most surgeries, a player can return to chipping and putting within six to eight weeks. The irons can be taken out at three months. Regular, full-intensity play can usually resume at six months.
Rehabilitation, of course, is key. The program should focus on the biomechanical aspects of one’s swing, something that can be done in consultation with a physiatrist, a physical therapist, and a golf pro. By retooling the entire swing, or simply shortening the backswing or follow-through to diminish forces placed on the body, a player can prevent the injuries from recurring. It may be hard work, but when the sun’s shining, the fairways are freshly mowed, and the greens are smooth, it will all be worth it.
Peter J. Millett, M.D. Dr. Millett is an orthopedic surgeon at the Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colorado.
