Preventing Golf Back Pain

Whether you’re an amateur or a professional, back pain is a part of the game. It’s the most common injury suffered by golfers of all ages, and it’s also the most common complaint of professional golfers. There are many reasons behind the pain and solutions to avoid it in the future.

The lumbar spine is continually being overworked; therefore the lack of mobility in areas such as the hips, ankles, shoulders, and thoracic spine cause the lower back to carry all the weight, hence overworking itself to the point of injury. When the lower back breaks down, one of the following conditions can occur:

    1. Muscle strain or ligamentous sprain
    1. Disc injury
    1. Altered joint mechanics or motor control
    1. Degenerative arthritis
  1. Bone fracture

How can I prevent this?

To avoid pain turning into injury, follow these tips:

Warm-up before you play

As simple as it is, it’s not taken as seriously as it should be. The warm-up sets the tone for your entire body, so take your time and warm up correctly. Try these dynamic exercises to fully stretch out your body before playing:

    • Standing pelvic tilts
    • Speed trunk rotation
    • Standing hip stretch
    • Shoulder stretch with the club behind the back
    • Neck stretch
  • Standing rhomboid

Exercise

Low-impact exercise(s) are essential for building core muscle strength. Try planks, yoga, speed walking, and more to strengthen your abdomen and lower back. Just 30 minutes a day will improve your game and protect you against potential injuries.

Stretching the shoulders and hips also improves mobility and reduces strain from swinging the club on the course. Incorporating spinal twists into your routine improves back flexibility which prepares the body for the swinging motion.

Practice your swing

A great golf swing is the result of practice, not pure luck. A good golf swing equals a pain-free golf swing. Try to:

    • Aim for a smooth and rhythmic swing
    • Keep your weight on the balls of your feet — this will help you stay balanced
  • Stabilize your muscles when swinging

Understand your flexibility

In the game of golf, flexibility has great importance. To fully understand your flexible ability, get an assessment of your back and golf swing. If you’re unable to rotate so that your left shoulder points at the ball in the middle of your stance, you may need to work on your flexibility.

Although back pain is a result of the game, it shouldn’t stop you from playing. It should serve as an example to improve yourself, improve your swing, improve your flexibility, and improve your posture. Pain is a part of the nature of sports, but it is important to be aware of what you can do to prevent it from occurring and help treat it.

So rather than searching the web for answers to questions such as should I play gold with lower back pain, common golf back injuries, mid back pain from golf, or even golf lower back pain exercises contact Block Chiropractic and Sports Physical Therapy instead. We offer a number of services that in chiropractor physical therapy care that can help get you back on the course in no time.