Save Your Swing! How to Prevent Common Golf Injuries
While some critics may categorize golf as non-athletic, the reality is golf is indeed a sport and can put extreme stress on the muscles and joints. Since a golf swing is a complex set of motions that is completed upwards of one hundred times in a game, it is evident why overuse injuries are the most common ailment plaguing golfers. This repetitive motion stresses the same muscles and joints every swing and can eventually lead to an injury. Lower back, elbow, hand/wrist, and shoulder injuries are the most prevalent among golfers and affect both amateurs and professionals.
Lower back pain caused by a soft tissue injury like a sprain or a skeletal injury affecting the bones is the most common injury reported by golfers. This pain is commonly caused by a poor swing since bad mechanics can lead to extreme pressure on the spine and surrounding muscles. Couple that with the fact that golfers spend five hours on their feet and hunched over their clubs while repeating the same motion over and over, and it is no wonder why back pain is so prevalent. In order to prevent an injury a proper warm up and strength training exercises to build up the core and back muscles is essential. When you arrive at the course before taking your first swing get in a few easy stretches that emphasize the shoulder, torso, and hip region.
This could include standing shoulder stretches and seated hamstrings stretches. Once you feel adequately stretched, pull out your clubs and take a few easy practice swings. Gently swinging your clubs will help to warm up the muscles you will use during the game. It is also important to carry you bag in a way that will not exasperate back pain. Continually bending over to pick up a heavy bag can cause stress on the lower back and lead to muscle strain.
Golfer’s elbow is a painful injury that causes pain and inflammation in the tendons that connect the forearm to the elbow. This ailment is similar to tennis elbow in that it affects the tendons that attach to the elbow; however, tennis elbow affects the outside ligament while golfer’s elbow affects the inside. Pain resulting from this injury can radiate from your forearm into your wrist, and occurs when more force is applied to an area than the normal healthy tissue can handle. Many times treatment can be done at home by resting and icing the injury in conjunction with an NSAID. If the pain persists, your health care provider may recommend a cortisone shot or active release therapy (A.R.T) which is a soft-tissue mobilization technique. It is important to not brace the injury for extended amounts of time since it could lead to a weakening of the elbow.
Next, wrist and hand injures are also common due to hinging the wrist and weak forearms. Soreness after a game could be an indicator that your technique is off. In golf the wrist is three times as likely to be injured as the hand. Flicking the wrist at the point of impact with the ball is a common cause of injury and pain. Just like with golfer’s elbow, a regimen of icing, resting, and compression should help quell the pain. However, it is persists visit your health care provider for ART therapy.
Finally, should injuries – in particular rotator cuff injuries – are common in golfers. Shoulder injuries in golf are caused by the very unique mechanics of a swing that require each shoulder to do a very specific and opposite maneuver when swinging a club. The leading shoulder is forced one direction while the other is externally rotated out. These injuries are also exasperated by the number of swings per week. An injury caused by repetitive use from poor posture is called Upper Cross Syndrome. This causes the shoulders to be rounded forward from tight pecs and weak upper back muscles. Rest, ice, pain medication and soft tissue release are all remedies for shoulder pain.
It is important to remember golf is an athletic event that requires conditioning, flexibility, and strength. Always warm up and stretch prior to beginning a game to prevent an injury. Golf is a lifetime game, but without proper maintenance, injuries could leave you sidelines.
