Return to Golf Program
UT Health Austin’s Musculoskeletal Institute offers a specialized Return to Golf Program designed for golfers recovering from surgery, injury, or managing chronic musculoskeletal conditions. In response to the increasing number of golfers experiencing musculoskeletal issues, this program focuses on treating the whole patient, not just the operative joint, preparing the body for a safe return to higher-level activity.
To request an appointment with the Musculoskeletal Institute, please call 1-833-UT-CARES (1-833-882-2737).
Treatment Approach
If you’ve ever wondered how to swing safely after shoulder surgery, whether your knee replacement can handle 18 holes, or how to manage chronic back or shoulder pain while returning to play, our team is here to help you return to golf smarter, stronger, and more confident than before.
Our integrated care model bridges the gap between recovery and full return to play. Working together, orthopedic surgeons and Titleist Performance Institute (TPI)-certified physical therapists develop customized treatment plans that address both recovery and golf-specific performance.
TPI-certified therapists are specially trained to evaluate how your body moves during a golf swing and to identify areas that could affect your strength, mobility, or performance.
What Makes Our 360° Care Model Different
Recovering from surgery or injury can be confusing and overwhelming. Here’s how our 360° Care Model compares to traditional recovery programs:
What to Expect
The Return to Golf Program uses a multidisciplinary approach to optimize recovery and performance for golfers of all skill levels. Led by orthopedic surgeons and TPI-certified physical therapists, the program combines surgical expertise with evidence-based rehabilitation to restore functional mobility, strength, and biomechanics required for golf.
Key features of the program include:
- Orthopedic Expertise: In-depth knowledge of procedures such as total hip arthroplasty (THA), total knee arthroplasty (TKA), and shoulder replacements (TSA/RSA).
- Biomechanical Analysis: TPI-certified physical therapists assess and train your body for safe, powerful, and repeatable swings. Their specialized “body-swing connection” expertise ensures your rehab plan restores mobility and strength while addressing the unique mechanics of your golf swing.
- Collaborative Care: Your rehab plan is developed in close communication with our surgeons, ensuring consistency between surgical recommendations and rehabilitation.
- Personalized Plans: Individualized protocols tailored to your goals, abilities, and sport-specific mechanics.
- Advanced Resources: On-site imaging, lab testing, and access to the latest research support optimal recovery and long-term health.
This comprehensive, golf-focused approach helps reduce the risk of reinjury, enhances athletic performance, and ensures a safe and confident return to the sport.
Conditions We Treat
Our Return to Golf Program supports golfers recovering from surgical and non-surgical musculoskeletal conditions affecting performance and comfort, including:
- Shoulder: Total shoulder replacement, rotator cuff repair, impingement, tendinitis, arthritis
- Elbow and Wrist: Golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis), tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis), carpal tunnel, triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) injuries
- Back and Spine: Laminectomy (spinal decompression surgery), discectomy (removal of a herniated disc), fusion (spinal or joint fusion surgery), muscle spasms, disc herniation, “golfer’s back” (lower back pain related to golf swing mechanics), sciatica, stenosis
- Hip: Total hip replacement, labral repair, impingement, tendinopathy, arthritis
- Knee: Total knee replacement, ACL reconstruction, meniscal repair, arthritis, meniscectomy (removal of torn meniscus tissue in the knee), patellar tendinitis (“runner’s knee”)
- Ankle and Foot: Ankle fusion (surgical joining of ankle bones), ankle replacement (surgical replacement of ankle joint), foot fusion (surgical joining of foot bones), Achilles repair, plantar fasciitis, ankle instability
If you’re unsure whether your condition qualifies, our team can help determine if this program is right for you.
Program Leaders
Our integrated care team brings together experts in orthopedic surgery, physical therapy, and golf performance.
John Wickman, MD, MBA
Program Director
Shoulder and Elbow Orthopedic Surgeon
Dr. Wickman is an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in shoulder and elbow conditions, from routine procedures to complex reconstructions. He works hand-in-hand with our TPI-certified physical therapists to create recovery plans that are personalized for each golfer. By integrating the latest surgical techniques and evidence-based practices, Dr. Wickman ensures every patient’s rehab plan supports a safe and confident return to play.
Thomas Ratana, PT, DPT, TPI-Certified
Physical Therapy Program Lead
TPI-Certified Physical Therapist
Thomas Ratana is a Titleist Performance Institute (TPI)-certified physical therapist specializing in the “Body-Swing Connection.” This approach examines how the body’s movement patterns influence the golf swing, identifying physical limitations that can affect power, accuracy, or consistency. Working closely with our surgeons, he develops rehab protocols that integrate evidence-based practices and sport-specific techniques, ensuring every golfer’s plan rebuilds strength, mobility, and resilience from day one of recovery.
Together, Dr. Wickman and Thomas Ratana ensure every golfer receives care that is coordinated, comprehensive, and directly aligned with the demands of the game.
Appointment Information
To request an appointment with the Musculoskeletal Institute, please call 1-833-UT-CARES (1-833-882-2737).