Junior Golfer With Persistent Unsolved Knee Pain

Tough to Treat

Golf is a sport of weight shifts and a narrow base of support. What happens when your knee can't adapt to an altered base of support? This is what exactly happened here with this case. This young golfer, in standing (and standing is VERY relevant for the golf swing) had an 80/20 load, R/L in this position. And it stayed that way throughout the golf swing. This begs the question: Did you know that right knee pain can be caused by an imbalance in your center of mass? If you continuously load your painful side, that has some serious implications for loading. Erica and Susan discuss in this episode how treating the left hip as well as the left side of the low back, got rid of this young golfer’s knee pain. He needed options for movement to his left side. A functional and interactive evaluation really hones in on where the true source of his knee pain lies. Remember: for persistent, unsolved problems, correlate the patient's history with your objective assessment. Hint: this patient had a history of concussion. You think that would alter his BOS?

A glance at this episode:

• [0:01] Chronic knee pain in a junior golfer, analyzing the cause and treatment options

• [4:48] Golf injury treatment and diagnosis

• [12:19] Golf swing mechanics and potential issues with a young golfer

• [17:03] Assessing a 12-year-old golf player with knee pain using a thorough history and clinical reasoning

• [23:49] Using visual aids and manual therapy to help a golfer improve his swing by shifting weight to the left leg

• [31:33] Using mirror therapy for knee rehabilitation

• [39:25] Rehabilitating knee injuries via changing the center of mass

• [43:34] Rehabilitation program for golfers with variance in exercises to improve adaptability

• [47:36] Physical therapy for a young golfer with a focus on listening and meeting clients where they are

Related links:

• Tough To Treat Website

• Erica’s Course: Decoding the Complex Patient

• Susan’s Pelvic Health Education Subscription

• Access the Transcript