Overview

Rehabilitation professionals can create and adapt prosthetic and orthotic devices that can be used with many types of footwear to achieve optimum gait patterns on flat, level surfaces. Additionally, prosthetic and orthotic specialists can provide training in how to use these devices to improve walking ability and patterns.

Golfing, or even just walking on a golf course, challenges all of the assumptions we make about prostheses and orthoses. Golf courses are almost never level, the surfaces are rarely hard and smooth, and weight transfer from one limb to another while swinging a golf club is completely different from what is experienced during walking. Disabilities involving the arms create a unique set of issues.

Devices and techniques need to be customized to the particular abilities of the golfer involved. The following is a list of considerations and recommendations for golfers who have a prosthesis or use an orthosis. Note that it is not uncommon for golfers with disabilities to play "winter rules" and improve the lie of their golf ball without moving closer to the pin.

Lower Extremity Orthoses

Ankle-Foot Orthoses (AFO's)

  • The golfer may have difficulty walking on inclines or declines.

  • It may be difficult to achieve a firm base of support for the golf swing when hitting the ball on an uphill or downhill lie.

  • Limit the toe down or push off movement of the foot, especially for weight transfer while swinging, depending on the side involved.

  • The golfer may consider using an AFO with less ankle support/more flexibility while playing golf.

  • The golfer may compensate for a lack of ankle motion by rotating the involved limb so that the foot is perpendicular to the grade.

  • The golfer may compensate for a lack of ankle motion by increasing the bending or straightening of the knee and hip.

  • The golfer may consider using a shorter or longer club for a shot.

Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthoses (KAFO's)

  • KAFO's are the same as AFO's with the addition of the knee component. Please consider AFO precautions and tips for golfers with KAFO's.

  • Depending on the KAFO, the knee joint may or may not be locked.

  • A locked knee may require the use of longer clubs.

  • The golfer who uses a knee-ankle-foot orthosis will have more difficulty with push off and weight transfer than an individual who uses an ankle-foot orthosis.

Lower Extremity Prostheses

Golfers with a below-knee amputation

  • The golfer may have limited push-off ability and limited ability to pull toes up. This may make walking a course challenging, especially when going up and down inclines or declines.

  • The golfer may have difficulty achieving a firm base of support for the golf swing on an uphill or downhill lie.

  • The prosthesis may limit the golfer's ability to push-off for weight transfer while swinging, depending on the side involved.

  • The golfer may compensate for a lack of ankle motion by rotating the involved limb so that the foot is perpendicular to the grade.

  • The golfer may compensate for a lack of ankle motion by increasing or decreasing the bending or straightening of the hip or knee.

  • The golfer may consider using a shorter or longer club for a particular shot.

  • The golfer may want to consider a prosthetic foot with a soft ankle snubber or flexible keel foot to accommodate irregularities in grade.

Golfers with an above-knee amputation

Golf considerations for individuals with an above-the-knee amputation are similar to those for golfers with a below-knee amputation, with the addition of the following concerns:

  • Golfers may have trouble stabilizing their prosthetic knee in a bent position.

  • Golfers may have trouble transferring weight, depending on the side of the amputation, length of residuum and type of prosthesis.

  • The knee unit may need to be adjusted to allow locking in a flexed position (e.g. the Mauch S-N-S hydraulic knee prosthesis).

  • The knee unit may need to be programmed to allow standing flexion, reduce/increase stance resistance, reduce/increase swing phase resistance (e.g. C-Leg, Rheo, Plie, Compact prosthetic knees).

  • The golfer may not be able to stand with an unlocked knee. Therefore, he or she may need to use longer clubs.

Upper Extremity Orthoses

Golfers with an upper-extremity amputation

  • A golfer with an upper extremity or arm orthosis may need to learn to swing with one arm/hand (backhand swing/forehand swing)

  • A golfer may need to use adaptive equipment to hold/grip the club

Spinal Orthoses

Most golfers who use spinal orthoses do so to increase core stability or to reduce pain. The twisting and turning of golf tends to aggravate the underlying cause of pain. As a general rule, a back brace should be tightened so it fits snugly prior to swinging a club. Individuals may consider using longer clubs and reducing the length of the swing to reduce torque on the spine.