Keys to Feeling Great on The Golf Course This Season

Golf is a wonderful sport enjoyed by millions around the globe.  Whether you are a low handicapper or a weekend hacker nothing ruins a round of golf more than being in pain.  Though golf may seem like a relatively low risk sport we see many people in the clinic every year suffering from golf related injuries.  Today I wanted to review a few common golf related injuries that we see and some tips you can use to stay injury free and on the course!

Common Golf Injuries

Probably the most common injury we see in golfers is low back pain.  As high as 20% of golf injuries have been related to the lower back.  These can be simple muscle strains or more involved disc or nerve problems.  Anyone who has suffered a lower back injury will tell you they can be debilitating.

Another common golf injury is elbow tendonitis.  This is commonly known as “golfer’s elbow” and is an irritation of the tendon along the inside of the elbow.  Again, this can be quite painful and limit your ability to grip and swing the club. 

Neck and shoulder pain is also quite common in golfers.  This also can be a simple muscle strain or more severe tear, disc or nerve issue.  Pain in the neck or shoulder can significantly limit your range of motion and limit your distance.

Tips to Reduce Likelihood of Injury

Warm up properly.  It is easy to jump out of the car and step right up to the first tee, but doing some sort of warm up is very important.  Some gentle stretching of your legs, hands, wrist, forearms, shoulders and back will help.  Also swinging your club a few times gradually building swing speed is a good idea.

Don’t over swing.  If you swing the club too fast you place a lot of stress on your back, neck shoulders and elbows.  Relax and take an easy swing at the ball.  The best golfers have a slow, smooth swing tempo.

Watch your posture.  Address the ball with your spine relatively straight, feet shoulder width apart and trunk slightly tilted forward.  Avoid hunching over the ball as this will put excessive stress on your joints and spine.

For more injury prevention tips check out our free ebooks at completegamept.com.  If you have any questions or would like to come in for a free “discovery visit” at our Tewksbury or Lowell location email me at gcrossman@completegamept.com or call 978-710-7204.