Golf, travel, etc.

[AJ Golf]

I know some of this has been asked before, but I wanted to get some newer up-to-date answers.

1. How long (for those who golf) was it before you went back?

2. How long before you traveled on an airplane halfway across the country?

 

[Ross]

Plan on at least 6 weeks before thinking of swinging a club. It's hard to say about travel since we all heal at different rates, but I think you'd be fine after 2 or 3 months.

 

[67walkon]

I think you can travel earlier. My surgery was 4 hours from home. The drive home was a piece of cake, and that was less than a week after surgery. You just have to get up and walk around (in a plane) every hour or so to avoid DVT, or clots in your legs. I would say you could fly in 3 or 4 weeks without much problem. To be safe, ask the doctors.

Don't know about golf. I'm 6 weeks out today and I don't think I could swing a club very well. I'm hoping, and I've been told by the doctors, that I can start riding my road bike at 8 weeks, so maybe that is when you could start doing something.

Good questions!

John

 

[KAJ]

AJ,

My surgery was performed out of state. I flew home (hour flight) 5 days after surgery. I do have a suggestion for you even if fly 3 to 4 months after surgery. Be sure you have at least 40 minutes between connecting flights. Even four months I could not walk at my normal pace. I told the travel agent to reschedule my flight. There was no I was going to get to a different terminal in 15 to 20 minutes.

Karl

 

[Philip B]

Golf & Travel

Golf & Travel

My AVR surgery was on March 28. I started hitting golf balls off of a mat with a high tee at six weeks post-op. My chest still felt really tight and would get kinda sore. My surgeon and cardiologist originally told me to wait at least twelve weeks. Neither was upset when they foundout I had started hitting balls early.

I started playing golf regularly at eight weeks post-op. My pull cart got quite a workout over the summer.

I didn't have a reason to fly anywhere until mid-July, so my experience in this area is limited.

As has been stated, the recovery and rehab processes are very individual things. Some folks recover more quickly than others; some revocer more slowly. It's important to follow the advice of your medical team and listen to your body when it tells you what you can do.

-Philip

 

[Cooker]

I went to the driving range at 4 weaks. Don't do that, I repaeat don't do that. Over a year before flying but I don't think that is a big issue.

 

[DeWayne]

Lets see, I had my surgery at the end of July and played my first round of 18 holes somewhere around February or March. I celebrated my 1 year anniversary by playing golf 6 times on my vacation!

 

[leecrowley]

I am about a 5 handicap. I took some swings at 5 1/2 weeks post-op, just out in my yard, and was VERY sore for a couple of days afterwards. I played my first round at 8 weeks, and it was difficult to make myself hit down on the ball with my irons. I guess my subconscious thought it would hurt. I struggled on the front 9, but finally figured out it wouldn't hurt on the back 9. However, I got very tired by the 16th hole....not necessarily physically tired. I was mentally exhausted from making myself swing "correctly". I played again 2 weeks later and had no problems at all.

I think no matter how long you wait to play, it'll be a struggle at first. It will get better.

Good luck.

Lee