The following information appears courtesy of orthopedic surgeon Dr. Larry Foster, and is reprinted with permission from his "Dr. Divot's Guide to Golf Injuries."
Knee pain includes:
• Torn meniscus
• Knee arthritis (osteoarthritis)
• Kneecap pain (chondromalacia)
Symptoms:
Pain, clicking, swelling of the knee aggravated by twisting, squatting, and walking.
Treatments:
Among the possible treatments are: Rest, medication, arthroscopic surgery (meniscus tear), total joint replacement surgery (severe arthritis), injection treatments, bracing, therapy.
Do:
• Consider switching to spikeless shoes to reduce twisting stresses on the knees.
• Focus on practice and play with short irons while recuperating from a knee injury (or surgery), to minimize stress on the knees.
• Focus on practice and play with short irons while recuperating from a knee injury (or surgery), to minimize stress on the knees.
Don't:
• Return to full swinging prematurely after knee injury or surgery—the golf swing (especially when using a driver or long irons) places enough stress on the knee to risk re-injury.
About the Author
Larry Foster, M.D., F.A.A.O.S., is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who calls himself "a bad golfer, but a good golf orthopedist." Dr. Foster's enthusiasm for golf has earned him the nickname "Dr. Divot." Dr. Foster trained at Columbia University and the Hospital for Joint Diseases in New York City. He is the author of "Dr. Divot's Guide to Golf Injuries."
More Info on Knee Pain
For a more in-depth examination of knee pain, see the knee pain entry in the ADAM Health Encyclopedia.
