Mark McNulty successfully returned to professional golf shortly after his knee replacement.

Within a year, he had several top 10 finishes in the PGA Championship Tour.

Professional golfer Mark McNulty tried to play through the pain of arthritis in his right knee for years. Temporary remedies had kept him in the game, but not pain-free. However, the pain progressed to the point that he was simply unable to continue playing golf. He knew his only chance to continue his professional golf career was to undergo a total knee replacement. He was concerned about the down time and ultimate function of a traditional knee replacement.

Ultimately, he elected to give himself one more chance at golf and have a minimally invasive total knee replacement by Dr. Richard Berger at Rush University Medical Center. Dr. Berger was recommended to McNulty by a previous patient and friend of the golfer’s. McNulty, who lived in Florida and South Africa, decided to make the journey to Chicago to see Dr. Berger.

“I felt quite comfortable with him,” McNulty said about how he felt immediately after meeting Dr. Berger. He was excited to hear how the doctor’s minimally invasive surgical techniques spare the soft tissue and muscle around the knee, which he learned would have him back on his feet quickly and enable him to return to golf.

The surgery was performed in spring 2010. He arrived at Rush University Medical Center early in the morning and underwent the surgery. A few hours later, he successfully completed his first round of physical therapy and was discharged from the hospital. He was back at his hotel later that evening. Physical therapy continued to go well for McNulty.

“I was surprised and thrilled with how quickly my knee progressed,” he said. “I was driving the ball just four weeks after surgery. And I did so without any pain.” This was the first time in years he could have said that. McNulty successfully returned to professional golf shortly after his knee replacement. Within a year, he had several top 10 finishes in the PGA Championship Tour. In fact, he was playing so well, he placed first in one PGA Tournament.

McNulty said that he is delighted to be able to play and walk the course without any pain, but enjoying such a successful return has been the “icing on top of the cake with a cherry on top of that.”