“The majority of my patients are golfers, and they love the simulator,” aid Spencer Summers, MD, a hip and knee surgeon at HSS Florida. “It’s the kind that professionals use, with a huge screen that could make you feel like you’re at a golf course in Augusta or Pebble Beach. It’s very impressive.” 

Utilizing advanced radar-tracking technology, the simulator captures detailed data on swing mechanics, ball launch and flight patterns. “The wealth of information enables our physical therapists to design highly personalized rehabilitation plans in a safe, controlled environment,” said Ryan Simovitch, MD, director of the shoulder division and co-medical director at HSS Florida. 

Read the full article at essential.golf

Golfers may be prone to injury due to the shoulder movement involved in repetitive golf swings, which puts stress on the muscles and tendons, Dr. Simovitch explained. To avoid a rotator cuff injury, he advises players to maintain good form, strength and flexibility. They may want to consult a physical therapist or certified trainer or find exercises from a reliable source online.

For golfers experiencing symptoms that don't improve with rest after a week or two, he recommends consultation with a health care provider.

Read the full article at magazine.essential.golf.

“Golfer’s elbow is an overuse injury involving the tendons that attach the muscles of the forearm to the bone on the inside of the elbow joint,” explained Dr. Angelo. An overuse injury results from repeated stress on a specific part of the body, often from doing too much too soon without adequate rest. “The repeated, strenuous arm movements involved in golf, especially flexing your wrist and rotating your forearm, put strain on the tendons and can lead to injury,” said Dr. Angelo, who enjoys playing golf in her spare time. 

Parten regularly treats people who developed golfer’s elbow after ramping up play too quickly after they retire. “They go from playing one day a week to playing five days a week before their body has had a chance to adjust, and that can lead to injury,” she said.

Read the full article at essential.golf.

In an interview with Essential Golf, HSS experts including physiatrists Nicole Angelo, DO, MS, Andrew Paul Creighton, DO, spine surgeon, Sravisht Iyer, MD, and sports medicine surgeon Ayoosh Pareek, MD, offer tips to prevent back injuries when playing golf. 

Read the full article at magazine.essential.golf. 

The study is recruiting patients with knee, hip or shoulder arthritis to determine how the disease affects club swing and other components of the golf game. Participants will be assessed again following joint replacement and subsequent rehabilitation to determine the effect of surgery on their ability to play golf.

“High-end golf simulators have optically enhanced radar tracking technology that provides a considerable amount of data in terms of golf swing, ball launch and ball flight,” explained Ryan W. Simovitch, MD, director of the shoulder division and co-medical director at HSS Florida, and the study’s principal investigator. 

This article was published in the print edition of Golf Central (Volume 25, Issue 11). 

Listen to the full episode at podcasts.apple.com. 

Golf simulators are also finding their way into physical therapy practices. “The high-end models have optically enhanced radar tracking technology that provides an incredible amount of data in terms of golf swing, ball launch and ball flight,” said Jamie Osmak, CSCS, FRCms, TPI, USGTF, exercise physiologist at HSS. 

For devoted players looking to get back in the game after an injury or surgery, the objective information provided by the simulator can be a valuable supplement to the doctor’s recommendations and rehab program developed by a physical therapist or exercise physiologist.

“Golfers with a musculoskeletal injury often progress well through physical therapy but feel they need something more to give them confidence in returning to the course,” said Andrew Paul Creighton, DO, physiatrist at HSS. 

Patient education is critical when a golfer has an orthopedic condition or sustains an injury, according to James F. Wyss, MD, physiatrist at HSS “The goal is to teach golfers exercises to help them move better and get stronger.  We discuss the kinds of exercises they do when they’re not playing to improve their physical condition and handle golfing better,” he explained.

A novel study at HSS Florida will utilize a new golf simulator to evaluate players with arthritis both before and after joint replacement surgery. “Our system employs advanced technology and complex algorithms to deliver a realistic and immersive virtual golf experience,” explains Ryan W. Simovitch, MD, sports medicine surgeon at HSS and principal investigator.

Read the full article at essential.golf.

Woods’ latest procedure was a fusion of the subtalar joint “to address his post-traumatic arthritis from his previous talus fracture,” according to a statement released on his Twitter account.

No timetable was given for Woods’ return. The surgery was performed by Martin J. O'Malley, MD, foot and ankle surgeon at HSS.  The statement said Dr. O’Malley declared the surgery a success.

Read the full article at pgatour.com.

Additional coverage:

• cbssports.com
• bleacherreport.com
• golfmonthly.com
• beckersspine.com
• washingtonpost.com
• nypost.com
• msn.com
• cnn.com 

Dr. Creighton said, “When golfing, you’re fully in tune with your body and how everything works together. A common misconception about golf is that it does not provide physical health benefits.”

He cited a 2016 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, noting “A scoping review found that golf provides moderate intensity physical activity, which is recommended to people of all ages for physical and mental health benefits.”

Dr. Creighton also advised golfers to be aware of potential injury when playing. “The most frequent cause of injury in amateur and professional golfers is volume of repetitive practice, and in amateur golfers this can sometimes be coupled with poor swing biomechanics.”

Read the full article at Wellandgood.com.

Dr. Metzl said it might be too early to count Woods out, because his injuries, from a traumatic high-speed crash, are so uncommon for a pro golfer. "It's not a sports injury, per se, that we typically see," explained Dr. Metzl. "I think that's an important point, because when someone strains their hamstring, tears their ACL or breaks their wrist sliding into second base, we can give a very accurate timetable." Dr. Metzl theorized that even some severe lower-leg injuries could be overcome as long as Woods' joints, tendons and nerves, employed in a golfer's twisting motion while striking the ball, survived major damage. "It's unknown, but if there were an area that could potentially have the chance "to be overcome" with all the unforeseen hurdles and all the potential complications going forward, "his lower-leg trauma" could be potentially one of those areas," noted Dr. Metzl.

Read the full article at NBCnews.com.

Additional coverage: Golf Central during the 6pm news hour on February 24, 2021. 

“There’s no way he’s making the Masters in April, zero chance,” said Dr. Ricci. “Masters next April? Maybe.” Dr. Ricci, who is well versed in the trauma sustained in high-speed car crashes, said Woods’ mangled ankle and foot could prove to be the hardest to overcome, depending on the severity of the injuries, which hasn’t been disclosed. “It’s going to impact his ability to pivot on that leg, to pivot normally and to flex the ankle and foot normally,” he cited, of the pins and screws Woods had installed.

Woods’ mature age as a professional athlete also doesn’t help in speeding up the recovery process. “He’s an incredible athlete, but as you get up into your 40s and beyond, the healing times slow down and it takes longer to recover from injuries,” noted Dr. Metzl. “This is going to take months. We can’t think about golf yet.”

Dr. Ricci estimated Woods will face a year of rehabilitation and physical therapy focused on restoring his mobility, range of motion and strengthening his calf, ankle and foot muscles — all key areas for a professional athlete. “I don’t know Tiger Woods personally but everything I see and read about him, he’s a pretty motivated person,” he said. “If anyone could [rebound,] it would be him but it’s going to be a battle.”

Read the full article at NYpost.com. This article also appeared in print on February 25, 2021.

Because of the “open” nature of Woods’s fractures, sometimes also called compound fractures, the risk of infection is significant and the likelihood of additional surgeries is high. “This is not a one-surgery [condition]. This is a multiple-surgery [condition],” explained Dr. Helfet. With an open fracture, he said, protocols call for multiple debridements — the removal of dead, damaged or infected tissue. Additionally, Woods “may need soft-tissue procedures, maybe a skin graft. He may need multiple, additional procedures to stabilize the bone perfectly, to restore the length, alignment and rotation of the leg,” noted Dr. Helfet.

“The risk of an injury like this is not necessarily lifesaving; it’s limb-saving. And the sooner you get the patient into … a trauma center, the better,” noted Dr. Helfet. “ … To get one of these injuries healed — the bone healed, the soft tissues recovered, [and] assuming there’s no nerve and artery damage and the muscle is recoverable, you’re talking about, until he can walk and put weight on his leg and actually have function, two to three months, at least."

“Golf,” added Dr. Helfet, “is immaterial.”

Read the full article at Washingtonpost.com. This article also appeared in print on February 25, 2021.

Additional coverage: Newsmax TV’s “Wake Up America” during the 7am news hour on February 25, 2021. Watch the segment online at Newsmaxtv.com (appearing from 01:18:18-01:26:35).

According to Dr. Williams, absent of any major complications, it is possible Woods could be ready to tee it up at next year’s Masters. “He has the right psychological makeup and obviously very focused and driven,” he noted. “Let’s assume in the most straightforward case we’ve got good bone healing by 12 weeks and then another three months of general recovery,” added Dr. Williams. 

“I could see him being on the range 6-to-12 months after surgery,” he predicted. “The Masters next year is certainly within reason, again barring some unknown complicating factors.”

Read the full article at Reuters.com.

This photos appeared in the print edition on October 14, 2019 and on CrainsNewYork.com.