Which hip is harder to deal with (golfing), front or back?

[Miguelito]

Quiet on the golf board (as always) so thought I'd start a topic.

I had my right (back) hip done a year+ ago and thought at the time that the back hip must be worse for golf, since I had such pain after I would golf, and some difficulty golfing. Some others here had posted the opposite. I didn't question them in print, but I thought otherwise.

Mea culpa! My other hip is deteriorating much quicker than I had thought possible (yes, just like everybody else's!) and I have discovered (at least in my case) that while the rear hip made golfing difficult and painful, the front hip just makes it impossible. I have gone twice this year and will not go again, until either some type of surgery or a physical therapy miracle.

The last time I went my hip just refused to turn after four or five holes. To finish the round I had to start swaying with the longer clubs (instead of rotating the hips). When I timed it perfectly I clocked a few balls (it was a hot, humid day and the ball was just flying), but my misses were atrocious, and on a course with a lot of lateral water... And of course the hip/leg hurt for two weeks afterwards.

Anyone, just wanted to throw my observations out there for comment or future reference.

Mike

[Marco Polo]

Mike:

I have only have had my front one resurfaced (Right hip - left handed).  Like you, I always assumed the back one got the most stress because you use it to pivot, but I can attest to the fact that at the end, before I finally decided to have the surgery, I found it very difficult to complete a round of golf due to the pain.  And I paid for it the next day.  So, I don't have any scientific evidence to report, but resurfacing my front hip was a real game changer for me.

[HippyDogwood]

Definitely the front hip is the bigger problem if you are a half decent golfer

Whilst you do turn into your rear hip on the back swing, the clearance of your front hip is a far more violent move. I have FAI both hips and have fractured the lead hip socket effectively slamming the impingement into the socket whilst the rear is (hopefully) a number of years behind.

OA and FAI are a really bad combo for golf

[packman]

IMO the front lead hip (left for a RH & right for a LH) is the more awkward one.
From a RH's perspective (although Canada has the highest proportion of left handed golfers in the world -Hockey syndrome Fact!), one loads up on the right side for the initiated power coil, which if there is pain the body will compensate by not turning as much. With that motion, your shots simply would not go as far or high due to lack of clubhead speed.
If there is pain in the left side, I believe your instincts will be to not finish the turn through. Essentially you give up on the swing, and that's where all the misdirection, shanks and pushes occur as you cannot get yourself into a balanced finish position as your mind/body will avoid the associated pain

[David]

Sorry Mike about the other hip giving you difficulty.  Hope you can figure it out and/or get that one fixed too and get back doing what you love.
D.

[packman]

I'm looking forward in several months time (February) to verify that is my left hip (lead for a rightie) that has held me back
First though need to recover stabilize and exercise

[Shiggy]

Lead hip for sure (left hip for a right hander).  I sacrificed the entire 2017 season due to my severe osteoarthritis in both hips and subsequent left hip BHR surgery in June. I attempted to play 9 hole back in April. Made it through all 9 holes but the pain severely hampered the quality of my game. I can say that there is much more stress placed on the lead hip when swinging the golf club.  The pain will prevent you from properly transferring weight to your left side to finish the swing.  I hit a few balls on the range a couple weeks ago (about 3 months post-op) and the repaired hip still isn't ready to resume play at my normal level. I get my right hip done in 4 days so I'm looking  forward to resuming a normal golf schedule in 2018.  Best of luck to all.

[packman]

Thanks Shiggy
Interesting that I did the reverse of you having my right hip done March 21/2013
I was able to full out swing around July 13 - 3 months post-op and while pain free still had to build up strength (was thinking i got the Corey Pavin model rather than the Rory McIlroy model)
I've started to slide downhill as my left hip OArth has weakened
Golf trip scheduled for Arizona Feb/18 which will be 4 1/2 months post op - need to be careful in my expectations but hoping that the left hip, turning horizontal rather than up, will have more freedom and ground anchorage for power / full turn consistency
I we share that experience in due course

[Shiggy]

packman, 

My surgeon, Dr James Pritchett, estimated 4 months post op before I could be out playing golf again so assuming your recovery goes well you should enjoy your AZ golf trip if anything for the nice weather in February down there.  I lived in Phoenix for 23 years and still travel there frequently. I always enjoyed playing on the rye grass overseeding in the winter months.  It was a nice respite from the hellish Bermuda grass and blast furnace summer heat.

Shiggy

[packman]

I just hit about 80 balls in an hour in an indoor dome - at 3 months and pain free well at least the hip!
The back was just a wee bit stiff

Going to Hilton Head in a few days for a few rounds and we shall see how it goes

[HippyDogwood]

I'm going to back-track a bit and say the rear hip is no walk in the park.

Easy to forget how the rear hip twists and is used to push off on the downswing. That motion really stretches everything and I've got tendonitis now right under the incision point!