Golf is a hobby for some, a pastime for others, and a passion for many.  Any day a golfer is kept off the course due to an injury is a day wasted, according to Dr. Bill Ward, an orthopedic surgeon with Orthopedic Specialists of Oakland County.

It could take anything from a dose of Advil to corrective surgery to make sure dedicated players can keep hitting the links throughout the season.

 “Although there are golf injuries, most could be described as secondary to overuse or repetitive trauma. Many can be treated with anti-inflammatory drugs and a good golf lesson to correct the offending swing fault and not a new driver,” said Dr. Ward. The question that Dr. Ward hears most often at Orthopedic Specialists of Oakland County is when can a patient return to the course after a total hip or knee replacement or arthroscopic surgery of the knee?

The answer he gives patients most of the time is a good one: sooner than you think.  “Most total knee patients will be chipping and putting by four to six weeks and playing golf at eight to ten weeks,” he explained. “Most total hip patients would return two weeks earlier than that, and a patient (without arthritis) undergoing arthroscopic surgery of the knee can return to the game in approximately seven to ten days.”

There’s really no reason for timid golfers to believe those surgery “Tall Tales” they hear and avoid getting the relief they need. As an avid golfer himself, Dr. Ward is dedicated to getting his patients back up and doing what they love as quickly and safely as possible.  

“It’s incredibly rewarding to play golf with my friends who are patients and see them out of pain, walking without a limp and playing golf well – the game that we love.”  Dr. Ward and the his partners at Orthopedic Specialists of Oakland County can be reached at (248) 335-2977. They’re located at 44038 Woodward Ave., Suite 200, in Bloomfield Hills. Visit www.OSOC.com for more information.