Danny
03-08-2005, 08:00 AM
After rupturing his ACL on a family holiday... "He should be able to play gentle golf at 8-10 weeks and professional golf by 16 weeks," said surgeon Andrew Unwin.
Big Easy loses his swing
From correspondents in London
August 3, 2005
FOXSPORTS
WORLD No.3 Ernie Els will not be able to swing a golf club for at least two months but should be able to return to the professional circuit in four months his surgeon said overnight.
The 35-year-old South African - known as the "Big Easy" - underwent knee surgery last Thursday after injuring knee ligaments while on a family sailing holiday.
The three-time major winner will undergo another operation in about two weeks' time.
"He should be able to play gentle golf at 8-10 weeks and professional golf by 16 weeks," said surgeon Andrew Unwin.
Els was swimming with his children in the Mediterranean when his foot was caught and he twisted, rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
He will wait until the swelling subsides and the South African regains a full range of movement before carrying out the second operation.
"ACL ruptures in themselves do not cause pain, except in the first few weeks after the injury," Unwin told Els' official website.
"The main problem without an ACL is that the knee is unstable on pivoting. Activities such as running and cycling are usually possible without too much trouble.
"For the first six weeks or so after the operation the knee needs to be mobilised quite carefully as the graft construct is somewhat weak over this period.
Advertisement:
"Ernie will spend a great deal of time at the gym mobilising the knee and once the wounds are healed, using a pool to regain his muscle strength.
"After this Ernie can start to pivot on the knee at about six weeks, and hopefully can pick up a golf club at about eight weeks from the operation.
"This compares very favourably with contact sports such as soccer or rugby where a return is delayed for six to nine months.
"Many professional sportsmen and women have returned to a first-class level following a reconstruction.
"A great deal of effort both physically and psychologically is needed, but there's absolutely no reason why professionals cannot return to their pre-existing standard of activity."
A spokesman for Els told the BBC that the player, who won the 1994 and 1997 US Opens as well as the 2002 British Open, was targeting a return at the South African Open in January 2006.
Big Easy loses his swing
From correspondents in London
August 3, 2005
FOXSPORTS
WORLD No.3 Ernie Els will not be able to swing a golf club for at least two months but should be able to return to the professional circuit in four months his surgeon said overnight.
The 35-year-old South African - known as the "Big Easy" - underwent knee surgery last Thursday after injuring knee ligaments while on a family sailing holiday.
The three-time major winner will undergo another operation in about two weeks' time.
"He should be able to play gentle golf at 8-10 weeks and professional golf by 16 weeks," said surgeon Andrew Unwin.
Els was swimming with his children in the Mediterranean when his foot was caught and he twisted, rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
He will wait until the swelling subsides and the South African regains a full range of movement before carrying out the second operation.
"ACL ruptures in themselves do not cause pain, except in the first few weeks after the injury," Unwin told Els' official website.
"The main problem without an ACL is that the knee is unstable on pivoting. Activities such as running and cycling are usually possible without too much trouble.
"For the first six weeks or so after the operation the knee needs to be mobilised quite carefully as the graft construct is somewhat weak over this period.
Advertisement:
"Ernie will spend a great deal of time at the gym mobilising the knee and once the wounds are healed, using a pool to regain his muscle strength.
"After this Ernie can start to pivot on the knee at about six weeks, and hopefully can pick up a golf club at about eight weeks from the operation.
"This compares very favourably with contact sports such as soccer or rugby where a return is delayed for six to nine months.
"Many professional sportsmen and women have returned to a first-class level following a reconstruction.
"A great deal of effort both physically and psychologically is needed, but there's absolutely no reason why professionals cannot return to their pre-existing standard of activity."
A spokesman for Els told the BBC that the player, who won the 1994 and 1997 US Opens as well as the 2002 British Open, was targeting a return at the South African Open in January 2006.