How long is recovery from an Elbow Scope?

[i-Guy]

I had been fighting what I thought was tennis elbow in my left elbow since Xmas time. Not quite sure how I would have gotten tennis elbow playing golf but needless to say the symptoms were very similar to tennis elbow and I do other things besides play golf. Anyway I took the the whole month of January off and most of February. I started playing again slowly and everything seem to be going well. Then one night I am un-buttoning my shirt after work and my left elbow felt tight. As I straightened it out I heard two pops and instant pain. The next day it swelled up. I treated it with ice and ibuprofen and got to the doctor immediately. They took an x-ray and referred me to an Orthopedic doctor. I went to one who is suppose to be pretty good and he said my x-ray looked like I had a bone spur (kept asking me if I fell down, which I had not). Well he tried a few different things but said it sounded like a "loose body". Now he is going to scope my elbow on June 1st to see if anything is loose and as he puts it "clean things up". I am scheduled to get the stiches out on June 11th but what I am wondering is has anyone had this type of surgery and how long until I can hit a golf ball again????????

[The Golfing Polack]

This may or may not be related, but my dad had his knee scoped a few summers ago. The doctor said he'd have to be off it for at least 9 weeks, but he was playing softball again in 3. Not like he was speedy gonzales on the base paths, but he was able to jog if he had to. Obviously it will depend on how invasive the scoping is, but I thought I might give you a slight ray of hope. Good luck with the recovery.

[allin]

I am not sure if it is comparable but I had bone chips removed from my elbow 6 years ago. Left over from my baseball years as a shotstop. It took about 3weeks for the swelling and soreness to get to the point I could do more than range of motion exercises and 6 weeks before I could practice 30-40 yard wedges and 2 months before I could mak a full swing with a golf club. I wasn't 100 percent for a lot longer, almost 6 months but with ice could play pretty well from 3 months on.

[i-Guy]

Thanks for the response...I sure hope it isn't two months before I can play again I will go insane However, I guess that will be the challenge of being patient so I can recover fully and not go out too soon and make it worse some how. Patience is a virtue!!!

[i-Guy]

Well I had my elbow scoped on June 1st and everything went well. They removed a 1.5cm peice of something (medical jargon and did not fully understand and I see the Doctor on Monday) from my elbow. I have 5 orthoscopic holes in and around my left elbow (right handed). Weird thing is I get a call from PT on Monday and they tell me the Docotor called them from the OR and said to get me in ASAP and start moving my arm. I go today for my second session and I am starting to feel pretty good. WOW! I get the stitches out next Monday, go to PT on Tuesday and then from Thursday until the following Tuesday I am on a cruise ship to Cozumel. So I am thinking that when I get back probably that next weekend which will be 3 weeks after my surgery I can probably go hit some putts and maybe some chips? Looking good so far!