053 - Swing Smart: Rehab Timing for Post-RC Repair Golfers
This study surveyed over 100 physical therapists across 10 golf-heavy U.S. states to uncover how clinicians approach returning recreational golfers to sport following rotator cuff repair, specifically after a medium-sized, full-thickness supraspinatus tear.
What They Found:
Average return to putting: 9.2 weeks post-op
Return to full driver swing: 23.8 weeks
Progression between golf activities followed a consistent 2.4–3.2 week interval
Clinicians using formal protocols were more conservative than those relying on clinical judgment
Despite minor differences, return-to-golf sequencing was fairly linear across clinicians regardless of experience level or credentials
Most therapists lacked access to a standardized, evidence-based progression program specific to golf
What This Means:
For tactical athletes (or retired personnel) who golf as part of their recovery, lifestyle, or performance routine, return-to-sport protocols after rotator cuff repair are underdeveloped and inconsistent. Most PTs use intuition rather than evidence-based guidelines.
This gap poses both a risk and an opportunity:
Risk: Without clear benchmarks, return to golf may be rushed or delayed unnecessarily
Opportunity: Tactical clinicians and coaches can adopt a progressive, criterion-based program that mirrors the biomechanics and demands of the golf swing—something especially important for aging operators, veterans, or first responders who use golf to stay active and connected
Tactical Implications:
Build Your Own Tiered Golf Return Protocol: Use this study’s data as a framework: initiate putting ~9 weeks post-op, progress every ~3 weeks toward full swings.
Don’t Just Go by Time, Use Criteria: Progressions should be based on motion, strength, pain-free ROM, and tolerance to loading, not just weeks post-op.
Educate Tactical Populations on Golf Demands: The golf swing is not “easy on the shoulder.” Tailor education and movement prep like you would for any upper-extremity-dominant task.
Push for Standardization Where Evidence Is Thin: If you’re in a clinic or unit that sees older athletes or retirees post-op, start building data around return-to-golf timelines and readiness checkpoints.
Questions To Consider:
Do your return-to-golf plans progress based on tissue capacity or tradition?
Could a hybrid time-based + criterion-based progression improve long-term outcomes?
Are you tracking what golf activities your patients actually return to, and when?
How do your patients mentally and physically respond to swing progression?
Should "recreational golf" be seen as light-duty... or as power- and torque-intensive return-to-sport?
Peyton R, Lee SY, Rethorn ZD. Return to golf following rotator cuff repair: trends of physical therapist practice. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2024;19(1):104–113. doi:10.26603/001c.87495