Injury; The acceptance you need extended time for treatment/heal

[BearQ]

Hey fellas,

 

How about some tales about the moment or time you realized your injury was serious and required a shut down > rest, treatment, surgery etc.

 

Perhaps for the guys on the current injured reserve it will help ease the loneliness of these sad gamers. I think specifically for golf it might be the most painful sport to be away from if you are hurt. Whether its your Sat 4some, evening games, driving range nuts - whatever it may be. Not being able to play golf as a golf nut is excruciating! I've seen guys fall into depression over injury's/circumstances restricting play for dudes who slave for the game.

 

Sorry for mini rant!

 

27 y/o, scratch, only provincial qualifiers/tournaments, but a daily range or 18 hole guy april-october, love love love the game. Backshop kid for 7 years in teen years just for the free golf. Club junkie. Like many of us on WRX.

 

My moment of truth came when my back started locking up on me 10 minutes of putting a few weeks ago. And the Spider was rolling well too on her first day BUT... I've had serious back issues for years now but its gotten to that unbearable level now. I can't golf if I'm to hold my job. I have a gameplan to tackle this issue and be good to go next season. I'm sure their are 100's on WRX that have taken extended time off due to physical issues. Damn cliche is true - gotta take a step back sometimes as painful as it may be.

 

Lets hear your battlefield stories

[Sean2]

1. Ruptured discs in neck, out for 4 months.

 

2. Heart attack, out for 4'months.

 

3. Fractured knee, out for 4 months.

 

4. Tennis elbow, out for 3'months.

 

5. Intercostal muscle strain, out for three months.

 

6.'Vertigo, comes and goes, out for one to two weeks.

 

It's not only the physical injury one has to deal with, but there is a psychological component as well. Nearly every day I am at the course by dawn, working on my short game. It's always very quiet, very peaceful. It has a Zen like quality to it. Not being able to do that, let alone play was very...difficult.

 

And, once cleared to play the process is gradual and can take up to a month, before the ball is actually teed up. For me I started with chipping and putting, gradually working up to a full swing. It takes a lot of patience, but if you rush into it you could re-injure yourself.

 

I empathize with anyone wiho has an injury. Best of luck Bear!

[oldschoolrocker]

Ruptured colon. Was out for a year. Third summer now after surgery. Still haven't regained full strength, but, that's most likely due to my age, 63.

Spent way too much time on this website during my recovery, but, it helped keep me sane when I couldn't play.

[suprfli6]

Tore my Achilles a couple days before Thanksgiving 2015, had surgery the following week. It was one of the mildest, driest winters on record here in NY and I had buddies sending me pics from the course every few days while I was in a cast and on crutches and then doing physical therapy. I started playing in mid March, 9 holes in a cart, gradually working my way back to walking 18+ almost every day. Others have told me their ankles were back to 100% a year or 18 months after surgery and mine isn't quite there but it's good enough to golf daily so I'm happy.

[Boricua Golf]

2006 was the year my life changed, laid out for 17 months after IED blast in Iraq, 4 knee surgeries on each knee, lower back surgery to relieve the sciatica nerve pain...mostly lower body injuries, I am now back to almost 100%, obviously my game was lost and had to learn a new swing that was a painless as possible, by 2010 I was back in the low 80s high 70s, I am now at 4hcp (better at times and worse too...lol), colder weather is a bit uncomfortable to play in, lots of physical therapy...this site kept me sane through the journey...just take your time and come back when you are completely healed, trust me, you do not want a setback...good luck.

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

Sean2

I'm pretty sure God's try to tell you to take up needlework.

That, or he's flat out got a vendetta against you :diablo:

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

My back injury didn't come during golf, but during a game of 5-a-side football (futsall) in my early twenties.

I went for a shot at goal, and felt a searing pain in my back. Really bad. Stopped play for a few minutes.

"It's OK, I'll go in goal for a bit," I said. That didn't work out as I soon realized I couldn't move my left leg much.

 

Long story short, I had ruptured a disc in my lower back. Required surgery and stuff, and I gave up golf completely after that for a while. I only really got back into it seriously about10 years later. So I got one of the classic back injuries for golfers, just not through playing golf.

[Jonesy]

Torn calf muscles from squash kept me out for about 5 or so months, after that I could only chip and pitch for another couple of months before I could actually make full swings again.

 

It was horrible... Just poured myself into watching golf on TV and being on here.

[NJpatbee]

I have been sidelined many times for a couple of weeks with a bad back but I know I am coming back relatively soon. I had prostrate cancer and surgery in August of 2015 and that was it for the year. The recovery time and discomfort was much more than I expected so pain avoidance was a good motivator to not trying to swing a club. During the Spring of 2016 I set April aside for practice only and by mid-May was back to normal. My suggestion is to allow the proper amount of time to heal and then ease back into golf. You are young and the body is very resilient if you allow it to heal. Good luck and remain positive!

[snoilr1]

I was in a car accident in Feb 2007 at age 35 and fractured my L1 & L2 vertebrae. I had to avoid lifting anything over 5 lbs for a month, then 10 lbs for the next month. I gained about 20 lbs due to the amount of rest time required. Then 12 weeks of PT to regain core strength to stabilize everything. I was allowed to start easing back into hitting balls in July, and played one 9 hole round in August. I got in one 18 hole scramble in September then didn't play again until the following Spring.

 

Fortunately, I'm good to go since. I just need to make sure I arrive at the course early enough to go through a stretching routine before I start. I'm told that it will become arthritic at some point, but keeping weight off and regular exercise will delay that.

[LUMA]

I pulled an intercostal over 3 months ago while surfing. My fault for not stretching and warming up before paddling out. I'm not 18 anymore...

 

Been out for 3 months and finally getting back out there. Overtime I tried to hit some balls but it irritated it so I had to accept it and give it a solid 2 1/2 months with NO activity to really heal up. It was brutal not being able to do literally anything accept walk for 3 months.

[OrangeCrush]

2006 was the year my life changed, laid out for 17 months after IED blast in Iraq, 4 knee surgeries on each knee, lower back surgery to relieve the sciatica nerve pain...mostly lower body injuries, I am now back to almost 100%, obviously my game was lost and had to learn a new swing that was a painless as possible, by 2010 I was back in the low 80s high 70s, I am now at 4hcp (better at times and worse too...lol), colder weather is a bit uncomfortable to play in, lots of physical therapy...this site kept me sane for through the journey...just take your time and come back when you are completely healed, trust me, you do not want a setback...good luck.

 

Damn brother! Glad to see you recovered from those injuries! My best friend's wife lost her 1st husband to an IED 7 weeks after they were married in 2004. He saved a couple dozen of his men when he found it and warned them to seek cover, then it went off.

[Boricua Golf]

2006 was the year my life changed, laid out for 17 months after IED blast in Iraq, 4 knee surgeries on each knee, lower back surgery to relieve the sciatica nerve pain...mostly lower body injuries, I am now back to almost 100%, obviously my game was lost and had to learn a new swing that was a painless as possible, by 2010 I was back in the low 80s high 70s, I am now at 4hcp (better at times and worse too...lol), colder weather is a bit uncomfortable to play in, lots of physical therapy...this site kept me sane for through the journey...just take your time and come back when you are completely healed, trust me, you do not want a setback...good luck.

 

Damn brother! Glad to see you recovered from those injuries! My best friend's wife lost her 1st husband to an IED 7 weeks after they were married in 2004. He saved a couple dozen of his men when he found it and warned them to seek cover, then it went off.

 

Wow, a true hero!!!!, my condolences to her and the family, I am still in some type of pain but nothing that would keep me from playing, again, cold weather and I just don't agree with eachother...lol...Golf has been my therapy for a long time, I focus more in spending time with family, I only play golf every Saturday and might practice once a week...

[Neverfadeaway86]

I just started playing again last summer after taking 10 years away from the game. I was having a great time playing and was improving every time out. So one day I was in a hurry after work to squeeze in 18 holes and I just rushed out to the tee didn't stretch or warm up like I always do and I know better.

 

So I get out the tee and wind up and swing and whiff... owww that kinda hurt swing hard again whiff !!! wow that really hurt. I step back up and take a half swing and get the ball out into the fairway, I finish out the day and man my right side rib area is pretty sore and got worse the following few days especially when trying to sit up out of bed at this point I knew I strained something and it hurt bad enough I know I couldn't golf so I took 2 weeks off and did not swing a club at all. My side stops hurting but is still tight but I was able to chip and pitch without pain so I booked a tee time and went to the range to hit some balls before my round... BIG MISTAKE !!

 

I wind up and take about an 80 % swing and POP and I felt my rib pop, crap !! I tried to take a few more swings but I couldn't even hold onto the club with both hands on my follow through so I stop and go to the pro shop and explain what happened and they gave me a rain check for my greens fee.

 

Long story short I ended up going to the dr and they determine I most likely Tore and intercostal muscle but that doing any testing to make sure was pointless because the treatment is the same for a strain or a tear. I was out from the end of august till February before I swung a club again. My rib started feeling better after a few months but I was determined to not hurt it again and just laid off till the 2017 season. thankfully I have been pain free this year and have made sure to stretch and warm up good before every round or range session

[Doppelganger]

I hurt my back pulling weeds out of a ditch a few years ago and missed 2.5 months of my summer golf bonanza the second year I was really into it.

 

Seriously though who plants a garden in a roadside swale? Phlox can s a d forever.

[moony_12]

Tore my Achilles a couple days before Thanksgiving 2015, had surgery the following week. It was one of the mildest, driest winters on record here in NY and I had buddies sending me pics from the course every few days while I was in a cast and on crutches and then doing physical therapy. I started playing in mid March, 9 holes in a cart, gradually working my way back to walking 18+ almost every day. Others have told me their ankles were back to 100% a year or 18 months after surgery and mine isn't quite there but it's good enough to golf daily so I'm happy.

 

I feel you there. I had a grade three ankle sprain last July. I've been cleared to play since November, but heavily strapped until April. Since then it's been a battle to get practice and rest in! PT reckons I should be fully healed by October...

[Sean2]

Sean2

I'm pretty sure God's try to tell you to take up needlework.

That, or he's flat out got a vendetta against you :diablo:

 

Hah!

[Sean2]

2006 was the year my life changed, laid out for 17 months after IED blast in Iraq, 4 knee surgeries on each knee, lower back surgery to relieve the sciatica nerve pain...mostly lower body injuries, I am now back to almost 100%, obviously my game was lost and had to learn a new swing that was a painless as possible, by 2010 I was back in the low 80s high 70s, I am now at 4hcp (better at times and worse too...lol), colder weather is a bit uncomfortable to play in, lots of physical therapy...this site kept me sane through the journey...just take your time and come back when you are completely healed, trust me, you do not want a setback...good luck.

 

I am happy to hear that you are just about fully recovered. :-)

[royourboat]

I've had more than my share of injuries. I've put a metric $*@#tonne of work and $ into learning how to manage my body and to rehabilitate. It was worth it for me TBH, because I feel empowered knowing how to manage the any new issues and continually improve. I recommend putting money into the best professionals you can find and doing the work. Rehab work is often unflattering and mental draining.

 

On a positive note, like most failures, my injuries have truly made me more resilient, strengthened my desire to get better at golf faster and hardened my mental toughness. You could almost say, I'm better off.

 

If you're in a dark spot: get the best advice, do the work, believe you will get through it and it will happen. This is a phase and you're working through it, you won't love it, but you will appreciate your work when you're done.

[BearQ]

Dont know why this topic was moved from general golf talk? Wrx doing wrx things

 

Some intense stories in here!

 

Yeah I had left hip labral/ Fai repair in fall 2015, ended up having a decent season last year until I blew out my back playing men's league basketball. Not a thrilling story lol.

 

Sad part is I was back to playing as well as I've ever played until the injury. Gotta climb the mountain again.

[GuerrillaGolfer]

I know im a little late to the thread but couldnt find a more recent one. Im in upstate ny so winters upon us. 1st snow was yesterday. Anyways was super pumped for this offseason as i just got a skytrak. 2nd day of owning it i think i pulled or strained my right intercoastals. Pain is pretty bad. Think im going to be out for a bit. From what ive read this isnt a great injury and recovery can be as short as a week to as long as 6 months. Going to stretch and heat as much as possible. Hope it gets better soon. Btw first post so hello golfwrx members

[Switter]

Sixty yoa male, open heart CABG X5 emergency surgery end of Aug 2017. A full three month lay-off from swinging clubs other wedges & putters. I'm about 15 days from playing, just as the onset of winter arrives. Very depressing not being capable of playing.

[Oldnavycdr]

Wedging into a par 5. Loud pop. I never saw the shot as I went down like a sack of flour. Blew the peroneal tendon in my left ankle. Played a couple more holes gimping along until I noticed this grapefruit that was my left ankle. Had surgery to stich it back together and lost the rest of the golf season. Took quite a bit of rehab to restore strength and to regain confidence that I could post up on it again.

[blehnhard]

Almost 75 (Nov 24th) - began having right hip issues bad enough in late 2015 that I was unable to play. Last round was early Dec 2015. Tried all of the "conservative" treatments, Meds, PT, Steroid injections without relief. Surgery for full right hip replacement in early May 2016. Was able to start playing in about 6 weeks but not on my usual 3 times per week basis. Back to full strength by mid Sept. Back to playing at scratch for most of 2017.

 

Had a bad case of Sciatica flare up beginning of Aug this year. Have been suffering now for over 3 months - unable to play at all. First diagnosis was Piriformis Syndrome - did prescribed exercises for a couple of weeks - no relief. Had X Rays which showed a slipped L4 over L5 (Level One - 5mm) and spinal stenosis. Off to PT - 3 weeks along with meds - no relief. Decided on Chiropractic care - Dr. wanted an MRI before treatment - confirmed diagnosis above along with some disc issues. 10 sessions - no real relief. Have started with another PT who did some "dry needling" in my second session last week. Have now how 2 steroid injections this week - one Tuesday for the leg pain and another yesterday for the back pain. Feeling better today and can make some 3/4 swings indoors. Last session with my Chiropractor on Monday and another PT on Tuesday. Option for another steroid injection on Wed.

 

Supposed to play golf in Pinehurst for 4 days (trip my buddies and I make twice a year). I have some Oxycodone left over from my hip surgery as well as some Norco (slow release Oxy + Tylenol) which hopefully will allow me to play relatively pain free for 4 days. Certainly won't be a full strength with a 3 month layoff.

 

Getting old can be a b**** at time, but better to be "seen" than "viewed".

 

My tale of woe, but certainly not as bad as some of the others related above.

 

Bruce

[JBW]

I've had a couple knee surgeries, but I think it's hardest when you have nagging injuries. After knee surgery, I knew I was out for a while so the acceptance was fairly easy, but when I tweak my shoulder, wrist, or whatever, it's harder to accept and I usually just play through it when I should probably rest.

[Petunia Sprinkle]

I think it’s a lot easier to stay patient after surgery than after an injury. With surgery, there is a more predictable timeline for recovery as well as the promise of improvement, or relief. Injuries, by comparison, are somewhat rogue events with a lot more unknowns to them, like how fast one heals, or the individual characteristics of this particular injury, or the looming specter that, even after healing, one might still need surgery.

[rangersgoalie]

Got plowed into from behind in a golf cart in August 2016

Cart suddenly stopped, guy behind me didn't see it. I initially moved into steering wheel, and BAM! Maybe if I had let go of the wheel I'd have been ok, but

Two rotator cuff tears

Torn Labrum

frozen shoulder

bone bruise in joint

 

As of today, over a year later, I still cannot make a full backswing and transition into the downswing. My shoulder cannot rotate externally at the top of swing (no shaft shallowing)

 

I am getting good at hitting it one handed with my left hand (lead hand), and can basically make half swings with both hands. Still in PT 2-3x per week, and making progress, but surgery is still possible, but an ugly process it sounds like.

No pain for the most part, unless I move it the wrong way (like a golf swing). At Christmas last year, through Feb was the worst time. No Champions Q School, and sleeping awfully due to the pain. Even Vicodin didn't help. Have had shots two times that really helped, and though I can't play still, I am happy to sleep without pain.

[vman]

Ruptured disc in 2010, offered a fusion but declined. Epidural steroid injections and physical therapy out for 9 months. Disc herniation a year later, offered micro discectomy, declined and had epidural again. PT and out for 4 months, no further back pain in the last 5 years...touch wood.

[PowderedToastMan]

Got plowed into from behind in a golf cart in August 2016

Cart suddenly stopped, guy behind me didn't see it. I initially moved into steering wheel, and BAM! Maybe if I had let go of the wheel I'd have been ok, but

Two rotator cuff tears

Torn Labrum

frozen shoulder

bone bruise in joint

 

As of today, over a year later, I still cannot make a full backswing and transition into the downswing. My shoulder cannot rotate externally at the top of swing (no shaft shallowing)

 

I am getting good at hitting it one handed with my left hand (lead hand), and can basically make half swings with both hands. Still in PT 2-3x per week, and making progress, but surgery is still possible, but an ugly process it sounds like.

No pain for the most part, unless I move it the wrong way (like a golf swing). At Christmas last year, through Feb was the worst time. No Champions Q School, and sleeping awfully due to the pain. Even Vicodin didn't help. Have had shots two times that really helped, and though I can't play still, I am happy to sleep without pain.

I’ve heard you mention the accident before, but missed what you injured. I have those exact injuries! I remember getting MRI’s on both shoulders, dying of pain, not because of the labrum tears, but frozen shoulder and being forced to stay still for 20 minutes.

 

I’ve never been able to shallow the club without early extending. I tore my labrum in my right shoulder (lefty) when I was 11, and the left a year ago. I make all sorts of compensations, which has led to me partially tearing my biceps tendon and supraspinatus multiple times. Shoulder injuries are crazy man!

 

I got a cortisone injection once. I picked up 10 mph ball speed overnight. Unfortunately, I ended up in the hospital, because as a type 1 diabetic, the cortisone made me insulin resistant.

 

Worth it to see 170+ mph ball speeds for a few weeks :)

[rangersgoalie]

Got plowed into from behind in a golf cart in August 2016

Cart suddenly stopped, guy behind me didn't see it. I initially moved into steering wheel, and BAM! Maybe if I had let go of the wheel I'd have been ok, but

Two rotator cuff tears

Torn Labrum

frozen shoulder

bone bruise in joint

 

As of today, over a year later, I still cannot make a full backswing and transition into the downswing. My shoulder cannot rotate externally at the top of swing (no shaft shallowing)

 

I am getting good at hitting it one handed with my left hand (lead hand), and can basically make half swings with both hands. Still in PT 2-3x per week, and making progress, but surgery is still possible, but an ugly process it sounds like.

No pain for the most part, unless I move it the wrong way (like a golf swing). At Christmas last year, through Feb was the worst time. No Champions Q School, and sleeping awfully due to the pain. Even Vicodin didn't help. Have had shots two times that really helped, and though I can't play still, I am happy to sleep without pain.

I've heard you mention the accident before, but missed what you injured. I have those exact injuries! I remember getting MRI's on both shoulders, dying of pain, not because of the labrum tears, but frozen shoulder and being forced to stay still for 20 minutes.

 

I've never been able to shallow the club without early extending. I tore my labrum in my right shoulder (lefty) when I was 11, and the left a year ago. I make all sorts of compensations, which has led to me partially tearing my biceps tendon and supraspinatus multiple times. Shoulder injuries are crazy man!

 

I got a cortisone injection once. I picked up 10 mph ball speed overnight. Unfortunately, I ended up in the hospital, because as a type 1 diabetic, the cortisone made me insulin resistant.

 

Worth it to see 170+ mph ball speeds for a few weeks :)

 

Wow, sorry to hear.

I got an injection initially from my first doctor, which honestly did nothing.

As the pain increased and the frozen shoulder took hold, I was in constant pain. Even teaching, standing on the range it would start to ache, gradually building to pain.

 

Changed doctors, got a series of shots into the joint capsule. Gave me almost instant relief, and got the first solid nights' sleep in three months that night. After threee months, the ache started to return,

and we did another set of injections guided into the capsule again. I'm still pretty much pain free nearly 4 months later. But I can't get that last external rotation back that would allow me to swing full length

and transition. It's frustrating