Golfers have greater preoperative and equal postoperative function when undergoing total knee arthroplasty compared to non-golfers

BACKGROUND: Approximately 10% to 20% of patients with joint arthroplasties are golfers. The aim of this study was to assess if being a golfer is associated with functional outcomes, satisfaction or improvement in quality of life (QoL) compared to non-golfers following total knee arthroplasty. METHODS: All patients undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) over a one-year period at a single institution were included with one-year postoperative outcomes. Patients were retrospectively followed up to assess if they had been golfers at the time of their surgery. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to assess the independent association of preoperative golfing status on postoperative function and health-related outcomes. RESULTS: The study cohort consisted of a total of 514 patients undergoing TKA. This included 223 (43.3%) male patients and 291 (56.7%) female patients, with an overall mean age of 70 (SD 9.5) years. The preoperative Oxford Knee Score (OKS) was significantly higher in golfers when adjusting for confounders (Diff 3.4 [95% CI 1 to 5.8], p = 0.006). There was no difference in postoperative outcomes between golfers and non-golfers. There was however a trend towards a higher Forgotten Joint Score (FJS) in the golfers (difference 9.3, 95% CI − 0.2 to 18.8, p = 0.056). Of the 48 patients who reported being golfers at the time of their surgery, 43 (89.6%) returned to golf and 88.4% of those were satisfied with their involvement in golf following surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Golfers had better preoperative and equal postoperative knee specific function compared to non-golfers. The majority of golfers returned to golf by one year and were satisfied with their involvement in the game. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.