Golf may seem like a slow paced and gentle sport, but the repetitive nature of the swing can take a toll on the body, particularly the back, shoulders, and elbows.
With the season being short in Canada, any injury can potentially force you to take precious time away from the golf course, so proper management and rehab is essential to keep you playing your best.
Lower back pain
Golfers can experience multiple levels of severity with lower back pain, from feeling stiff and sore after a round to severely straining your lower back or having a disc injury from poor mechanics.
Often, the discomfort or pain is due to restrictions in hip rotation and weak inner core muscles that control the trunk rotation during your golf swing.
The nature of the swing creates a lot of rotational forces in a short period of time, so if you are rotating from the wrong body part it can often lead to excessive strain on your lower back which can eventually develop into an injury.
Here are a few things that you can do proactively to prevent the occurrence of lower back pain:
Strengthen your core: A strong core stabilizes the spine and reduces strain on the lower back.
Enhance mobility of your hip rotation: Regular stretching of the hamstrings and hip flexors can alleviate tension and allow proper hip rotation.
Control your trunk rotation: Check if you can rotate your trunk separately without moving your lower body or putting strain on your lower back.
Refine your swing: Work with a coach to adjust your technique and minimize stress on your spine.
If you continue to experience a lot of stiffness and soreness after a round of golf, it is always advisable to seek professional help and start improving your overall mobility.
That will not only help with preventing lower back pain but also enhance the consistency of your swing motion once you can move more easily.
Shoulder pain
This is commonly caused by overusing the upper body in the golf swing where your body is not separating and rotating properly.
Golfers frequently end up overusing their shoulders to compensate for their trunk rotation as well as over-accelerating the arms to bring the club instead of generating speed from the ground up through the body.Â
Here are a few things to keep in mind if you start to feel any discomfort in the shoulder:
Have proper shoulder mobility: This includes both the shoulder joint and the scapulothoracic joint (how the shoulder blades move with the rest of the upper body and shoulder joint). With restricted mobility, compensations occur easily and can lead to improper use of muscles and tendons - leading to inflammation and tears.
Build shoulder strength: Focus on exercises that target the rotator cuff and shoulder stabilizers.
Warm-up properly: Ensure you go through a thorough warm-up before you hit the course. The key to warming up properly includes both mobility and muscle activation. Having the mobility you need for rotation and activating the right muscles before generating large forces through will help prepare the muscles prior to swinging fully.
Consult a professional: Both physically and for your swing mechanics, managing any discomfort or pain in your joints early on will help reduce further injury to your shoulders. Having proper swing mechanics will also reduce any excessive stress to the shoulder and prevent chronic injuries and pain.
Elbow painÂ
You can experience this on either sides of your elbows and it is commonly caused by repetitive stress on the tendons.
However, the result of excessive stress on your tendons is commonly caused by improper mechanics and rotation of the rest of the body. When your body is not transferring the energy properly through the swing, your elbow tendons are forced to accept and disperse all the forces going through them in the downswing.
As a result of that, your tendons can get injured & inflamed overtime; causing discomfort and pain - especially through impacting the ball.
How to manage this problem:
Strengthen your forearm: Exercises like wrist curls can reduce tendon strain.
Ease your grip: A lighter grip on the club can alleviate pressure on your elbows.
Use a brace: A counterforce brace can help relieve pressure during play.
Seek professional help: Correcting & improving your overall body mechanics in your golf swing will reduce the stress on your elbow joints.
With a shorter golf season in Canada, managing these common golf injuries is crucial to keep you healthy and maintaining your performance on the golf course.
By strengthening these three key areas, refining your swing, and giving your body time to heal, you can keep enjoying the game.
At Swing Lab, we’re here to help you stay on top of your game, injury-free and also return to golf as soon as possible after an injury.
If you're suffering with any pain or discomfort caused by playing golf, book a FREE initial consultation with one of our team of experts today.
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