Swing Fit: Tips To Reduce Back Pain
Most acute low back injuries that occur during a round of golf take anywhere from a couple of days to several weeks to improve. Research suggests that golfers with a history of low back pain demonstrate less range of motion through their hips and lumbar spine than their pain-free colleagues.
A little effort to prevent back injuries on the golf course goes a long way. Four key areas to focus on include: a good warm-up, smooth swing, correct body mechanics and properly carrying the golf bag.
Warm-up
Be sure to stretch the shoulder, torso, hips and hamstrings and take some easy swings to warm up the necessary muscle groups before stepping onto the first tee. Begin with the smaller irons and progress to the larger woods. Overall, muscles that have been stretched and are gradually loaded are much less prone to being injured.
Swing
Generating significant clubhead speed applies a lot of torque and torsion to the back. Golfers should emphasize a smooth, rhythmic swing, which reduces stress to the lower back and minimizes muscular effort and disc and facet joint loading.
Body Mechanics
Maximizing flexibility in the hamstrings and strength of the abdominal muscles allows for more controlled motion in the pelvis and reduces stress to the L5-S1 disc space at the base of the spine, which is particularly vulnerable to the power of a golf swing. Bending your knees when picking or teeing up your ball is one small way to help decrease stress on your back throughout the round.
Carrying the Golf Bag
Bending over to pick up a golf bag can stress the low back and lead to muscle strain. If choosing to carry your golf bag, it is advisable to use dual straps to evenly distribute the weight.
The game of golf places tremendous repetitive stresses through the back throughout a 2-4 hour timeframe. Fortunately you can take action to decrease these forces and maximize your golf longevity!
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