Anyone play golf in a Walking Cast/Boot?

[Jonny_Crash]

I tore my Achilles tendon at the end of April.  I'm now about 5 weeks into my recovery.  I should be shifting off crutches in the next week or so, but I still have a walking boot (and will until the end of July).  With the Achilles injury, they put several removable wedges in the boot to keep your toe pointed and bring the ends of the tendon close together.  Essentially, my left leg has a 3-4 inch heel compared to my right.  

I'm anxious to start putting and chipping a little bit, but am worried about grooving some terrible habits based upon the height differential.  As the wedges come out during the healing process, this will start to mitigate.  It would be half swings (at best) for a while, but I'm worried about doing more harm to my swing than good.  

Does anyone have any similar experience?  Have you played in a walking cast/boot before? 

[null]

Definitely would do more harm than good - especially chipping and any other types of swings. Even subconsciously, you might be favoring your one leg and it could lead to the creation of some really bad habits and/or, worse yet, an injury to another part of your body due to your body compensating for the injured leg.

Take your time and rest.  Follow your doctor's orders.  The last thing you want is a setback that pushes your return to golf back even further. 

[alfriday101]

Sounds like a good time to do some skill building drills, provided you can do so without jeopardizing your recovery.  

My coach had me hit putts, chips and short pitches standing on one leg (100 percent of weight on the one leg), first with right hand only, then left hand only and finally both hands.  Switch legs and repeat.  You just wouldn't be able to switch to putting all your weight on the foot with the boot.  

 

You could hit shots from your knees.  This is a great exercise.  Some instructors use this with newbies and advanced golfers that struggle with turn and sequencing.  It's surprising how far you can hit a ball with a driver from your knees.  

 

Here are some beginner drills from Malaska, which are good for experienced golfers to revisit:

  

You will move from "grooving a swing" to practicing variable, transferable skills.    My coach has me hit balls with one foot or both feet on squishy, stability discs.  Here is a disc like I use:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Mountain-Balance-Stability-Disc/dp/B01LR0XLFW/ref=sr_1_5?crid=13EW04VV9G1MG&dchild=1&keywords=stability+discs+for+exercise&qid=1621968660&sprefix=stability+discs%2Caps%2C289&sr=8-5

 

It's hard at first to hit a ball when you have to work so hard just to maintain balance.  But improvement comes and the improvement in balance transfers to all shots on the course.  The disc is a couple of inches thick and wobbles a lot.  Not all that different from your boot.     

(I'm not recommending you do this with the boot on.  I'm only illustrating the point that practicing variability will not groove bad habits, but will improve your skills/game overall.)  

[Jonny_Crash]

It's sadly a long recovery time, but it would be nice to pass the time doing a little of something. Thanks for the ideas @alfriday101  there are certainly some pros and cons to working on different balance.  

 @jlukes I totally hear you and these are my exact concerns.  

 

[RobyM]

I tore my Achilles on May 25. Surgery May 27th. I will be full weight bering in my boot next week @ 7weeks.  I am clear to then play golf in the boot. Headed to San Diego to play with some buddies.  It is my left foot, so front foot for me, not sure how it will go but it has been a long road already. Looking forward to some bad golf over no golf.  I got the Vacoped boot so no wedges. @alfriday101 I like the feet together drill and do it often.  Tempo, tempo, tempo. I think this will be the key to getting some hacks in but staying under control from a swing speed and balance standpoint.   Good luck @Jonny_Crash I am right there with you!!

 

[Jonny_Crash]

Sorry to hear that @RobyM.  It is in fact a grind. 

I tore mine on April 22nd,  I didn't end up having surgery given my age and the advances in functional rehabilitation.  I also caught it really early and was off it quickly.  The doc thinks I'll have a same/similar outcome to surgery, so it was a pretty easy decision. 

I'm now at week 11-12.  I was out of the boot at 10 weeks post injury.   I also did my left foot, so it is my front foot.  The golf swing doesn't have a lot of push off on the front foot, so I got the go ahead to play golf wearing my lace up ankle brace.  I've been to the range twice and played 9 twice (cart not walking).  It gets really sore after nine and I can feel it for sure.  It really hasn't effected my swing that much, but is a good excuse for playing poorly   

Just be careful, it's a long ways back and a re-rupture is my deepest fear right now.  There is light at the end of the tunnel, but still no light running until October for me.  

[Wilton]

@RobyM you are almost exactly one month ahead of me.  Had surgery June 29th.  Have you gotten out on the course yet?  Any issues? I'm full weight bearing starting in 2 days and I'm itching to get out there.

[Jonny_Crash]

Welcome to the club @Wilton!   

I've been out a bit using a cart and avoiding steep hills when walking to/from balls.  It's been pretty good for me and I'm not showing any real side affects.   Keep on the PT and you will be back out there soon enough!  

 

[Wilton]

How's everybody doing?! Thats not rhetorical, I'm genuinely curious how everyone has managed.

I'm at 8 weeks since surgery, finally took my last wedge out of this damn boot this week.  Found out mine was a clean tear from the heel so it had to be anchored back into the bone and takes alittle longer I guess.  As you may well know, Martha Stewart tore hers this summer as well..  Here I am thinking I have the tendon strength of a 79 year old woman when in fact I have the bone strength of one!  Just a joke, but I will drink more milk.

I've managed to abstain from golf this whole time but I've hit my limit.  I'm not missing out on golf during my Labor Day Weekend vacation in Maryland.  Going to slowly prepare this week as my trip approaches.

 

 

[Kocher Clamp]

I was a surgical tech on probably 50 Achilles tears.

when you get in there it literally looks like a went off in there.

Most surgeons fix it with a anchor and some fiber core sutures and some tenolysas ? To close with.

then what ever they like for skin.

A lot get infections do to sweat !!!

why would you **** it all up if you don’t even know how the first surgery turned out.

Because the second time will really be bad

case.

For you Tec and the Doctor.

[Headhammer]

Scott McCarron has been playing with a modified peg to his walking boot.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTNqefTrW7l/

Edited September 4, 2021 by Headhammer

[Kocher Clamp]

I seen that and he’s has blow out his back either.

Watch when he heals that he didn’t develop some bad habits from doing that.

good luck with your endeavors.

[Jonny_Crash]

Update.  I'm now close to 5 months (Sept 22nd) post injury.  I have my last appointment with the Doc on the 29th, so I'll know how it all looks from there.  Overall, It's going pretty well. Still a lot of strength lost.  

I've been able to go for some hikes (wearing the lace-up ankle brace) and went for my first mtn bike ride a couple weekends ago (mellow with my GF's kids).   

Mine was a left foot so I was able to get back to golf earlier than if it was my right (I'm right handed).   I started back to the range in early July and have played 13-14 rounds of golf.  It generally feels pretty good, but gets sore and weak around the 9th hole (played my first 18 last Sunday).  I've walked a couple of short courses, but mostly ride.  Seems to be holding up just fine. 

PT has been good and I can feel myself getting stronger.  Still a struggle to do a full calf-raise, but it's progressing.  I probably need to be a bit more diligent about doing my PT, but I'm pretty active in general and am a bit of a toe-walker, so it's getting there.  

Overall... not a fun injury at all.  I'm hoping to get back together for some skiing in December/January and back to soccer next spring.  It's a grind for sure and it's been hard to be patient (it's also been hard to trust it is healing).  I live in constant fear of stepping in a hole or something and re-rupturing it.  

[RollingGreens]

Consider the even up to keep your height even so you don’t throw off your back or hips. 

[bill hardy]

hello ,Your heel should not come up out of the boot or rub against the back. Your toes should have about an inch of room in front of them at all times. The sides of your feet should not feel painful pressure. Your toes should not slide forward or hit the end of the boot learn more.

[Alex_pauli]

Hello, 

I broke my right Achilles and went under surgery mid-February. 6 weeks later I was on holidays and I played gold with my boot. I was able to full swing and even play my handicap. The height difference is at first disturbing but I m sure it helped my swing overall. I took a lesson and the instructor taught me to stop my swing earlier (compress the ball). Overall, I m more accurate than before and my swing is slower, so I have a better rythm. After removing the boot, it took me 2-3 times to readjust but overall I don’t regret playing with the boot : 1) I had a lot of fun and it s good for mental to play 2) forced me to adapt my swing 3) my overall approach to my golf is improved.

Note that you can play early with the boot, but you have to be patient without. When I removed the boot I waited 5 weeks before playing even though i had played with the boot before. 

 

Good luck to you all, happy recovery and happy golfing.