Return to Elite Level of Play and Performance in Professional Golfers After Arthroscopic Hip Surgery

Abstract

Background: Hip conditions, such as femoroacetabular impingement and labral injury, can cause pain and limit the ability to play sports at a professional level. Purpose: To evaluate performance metrics of professional golfers prior to arthroscopic hip surgery and after surgery. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: This study included professional golfers who underwent arthroscopic hip surgery. Primary outcome variables were greens in regulation and driving distance. Metrics were recorded for 2 years prior to arthroscopic hip surgery and 1, 2, and 5 years after arthroscopy. Results: A consecutive cohort of 20 male professional golfers (27 hips) from 2000 to 2011 underwent arthroscopic hip surgery by a single surgeon. All players were on the PGA Tour with a mean age of 38 years (range, 26-54 years). Eleven hips had labral repair and 16 had labral debridements. Four hips required microfracture of a chondral lesion. All players returned to play at a mean of 4.7 months (range, 1 month to 2 years). The mean number of years played after surgery was 5.72. There was no significant difference between preoperative and postoperative greens in regulation ( P = .227). The mean distance per golf drive was significantly longer at 1 and 2 years postoperative compared with prior to surgery ( P < .01), and driving distance at 5 years was also longer than preoperative ( P = .008). Conclusion: Arthroscopic management of chondrolabral dysfunction due to femoroacetabular impingement in the professional golfer allowed the golfer to return to the same skill level prior to surgery. Mean driving distance was found to increase after arthroscopy, demonstrating not only a return but also an improvement in driving performance from prior level of play.