when can i golf?

[RUSS H.]

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I just had my left hip resurfaced on dec.2.  I was told i can't play golf for 6 months.  I want to go to Florida in March and that'ii be 3 months.  He said I could swing lightly with irons and putt and chip.  But what is with all these people that say they are golfing in 6 weeks?  I feel pretty good now , but i'd be afraid to swing thru the ball.    russ

[obxpelican]

I had my right hip done August 6th, keep in mind it was my right hip.  I golfed at about 7 weeks or so and my swing was better than I've been in about 5 years.  I could actually complete my swing and end with my body facing the target.

Keep in mind it was my right hip and imagine you swinging and what will happen to your left hip, it's almost going towards the movement your doctor used to dislocate your hip.  I do not think I could have golfed that early had it been my left hip, but surely now I could.

It's funny how doctors vary in how they allow their patients to rehab.  Your doctor is saying 6 months, mine said 6 weeks, but my doctor did not allow me to mountain bike on a trail because he feared me falling off and breaking my femoral neck.  Many doctors allow their patients to bike for real at 6 weeks.


Chuck

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I just had my left hip resurfaced on dec.2.  I was told i can't play golf for 6 months.  I want to go to Florida in March and that'ii be 3 months.  He said I could swing lightly with irons and putt and chip.  But what is with all these people that say they are golfing in 6 weeks?  I feel pretty good now , but i'd be afraid to swing thru the ball.    russ

[Tarhoo2]

Russ,

My left hip was done 12/18/07 and my right hip was done 4/4/08 (I am a "righty").  I started swinging a club lightly in early July and playing with a full swing in August.  I think Chuck is right-on when notes that it depends on which hip was resurfaced.  I don't believe I could have made the turn on my left hip before about 6 months.

I personally would not take the risk and would give my hip plenty of time to heal.  Do not despair, though.  The bright side of things is that you should have every reason to believe that when you do start to play again, you will be able to do so with NO pain.  That has been my experience and I hope to prove it very frequently in 2009!

Best wishes for a full recovery and good luck on your return to golf in 2009!

Jim

[obxpelican]

I think we ought to arrange a surface hippy golf classic, maybe in Myrtle Beach.  Shark girl has already volunteered to be the beer cart girl.

We can wait till Russ heals and we can all take his "greenies" money.... or who knows maybe he'll take our greenie money.    ;D


Chuck

[Mr_Tillie]

  I think age is a big facter in how quickly one can start getting back to normal activities. (Golfing being number 1).

[tedroberts]

Well I am too late to give Russ an answer but maybe I can help someone else.  I am 51 and had bi-lateral hip resurfacing on 1-7-09 with Dr. Nelson in MPLS.  At my 6 week check up Dr. Nelson said I could golf when the courses opened.  I played my first 18 hole round on April 18th riding in a cart.  I had swung a golf club a few weeks before and hit balls at the range the week before.  I was wasted after that round.  I played with a cart the next couple of weeks and then started walking 18 with a push cart.  In July I started carrying my clubs.  Never had any pain in my hips swinging a golf club through all of this.  My game has not improved but it hasn't gotten any worse either.  Come to think of it I did have my best score
in about 8 years so maybe the new hips are helping.

Ted Roberts 

[frosty1235]

This an interesting topic. I have had what seems to be, in comparison to most on this site, a slow recovery (off crutches 4weeks, off cane 6weeks) and still have thigh, knee and groin pain. I golfed at 7 weeks post op and did not find it that difficult. I am a righty and I had my left hip resurfaced. I was using an all arm swing pre surgery ( i am tall so I can still get some leverage with an arm swing) and so it was easy to use the all arms post surgery. I do not see being very active with my hips until next spring. No reasion to push it, the season is over here in Illinois. I would listen to your doctor but waiting six months before doing any golfing seems conservative.