Feeling Low Back Pain?
I've been privy to some rather unusual injuries. Errant backswings have
often dealt blows to golf partners; golf clubs thrown in anger or disgust
often injure their owners or those in close proximity; golfers can also
suffer from bone-jarring injuries when their clubs strike the ground during
'fits of anger'….I mean misplaced swings. However, the most common golf
injury or complaint is low back pain.
Low back pain has been ranked as the most common golf injury by both
professional and amateur golfers.
Statistics indicate approximately 50% of all golfers will incur a lower
back injury during their playing careers.
Low back injuries are then followed by injuries to the elbow, shoulder
and wrists.
If you've ever played with back pain, you know how agonizing it is! It
affects every swing and putt during your entire round. The goal should
then be to devise a plan to prevent or correct your lower back injury.
Causes of Low Back Injuries in Golfers
Poor or improper golf swing technique, weak muscles, and inflexible muscles
are just a few of the reasons that golfers experience lower back injury.
Golf Swing
It's important to realize that the golf swing is physically traumatic
to your body, irregardless of your level of talent or ability.
This is simply a result of the mechanics of the golf swing itself. The
execution of the golf swing places the lower back under immense shear
forces during each and every golf swing, and the muscles of the lower
back must withstand these shear forces.
During the swing motion, you torque your upper body about a lower body
which remains fixed in position. This is followed by swinging a club at
velocities up to 80mph (120mph in elite golfers), which is absolutely
brutal on your back. The torqueing mechanism of the swing is so intense
that any golfer that has weak or tight lower back muscles or abdominal
muscles will most assuredly incur a low back injury.
In a study of PGA golfers, 33 percent had experienced low back problems
of greater than two weeks' duration in the past year.
Injuries from poor swing technique can cause muscular strains, but more
importantly, disc injuries can occur from swing abnormalities.
Along with the golf swing, the hunched-over putting stance puts great
stress on a golfer's back.
Unlike basketball or tennis, golf is a slow paced sport. However, a golf
swing requires an explosive burst of action. This sudden call to action
of muscles places stress on low back. It also creates high rotational
and shearing forces.
If you are not strong and conditioned in these areas, it will only be
a matter of time before suffering from injuries which can limit and alter
your game-sometimes permanently.
The key muscles that can affect lower back functioning during
the golf swing are the glutes, hamstrings, abdominals and lower back muscles.
These muscles MUST be strengthened in order to prevent injury to the lower
back.
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Core Golf Muscle Weakness
The core golf muscles are the engine to your golf swing. Like in all
athletic movements, your core drives the power. If your core is weak and
inflexible, you will not be able to generate any club head speed, resulting
in a massive loss of distance.
The hamstrings are the most important muscles to help maintain golf posture.
These muscles play a critical role in stability and generating power.
These muscles are the most restricted on the older golfer. A simple test
is how far can you bend over and attempt to touch your toes?
Developing both strength and flexibility in your hamstrings will not
only result in a more consistent golf posture throughout your golf swing,
but will greatly reduce the strain on your lower back.
By training your core in both strength and flexibility, from a rotational
standpoint, you will see dramatic improvements in your power and distance.
The hamstrings are the most important muscles to help maintain golf posture.
These muscles play a critical role in stability and generating power.
These muscles are the most restricted on the older golfer. A simple test
is how far can you bend over and attempt to touch your toes? Developing
both strength and flexibility in your hamstrings will not only result
in a more consistent golf posture throughout your golf swing, but will
greatly reduce the strain on your lower back.
Inflexible Muscles
The very same muscles that need to be strengthened also need to be stretched.
But in order of priority, I would strongly recommend the hamstrings, lower
back, glutes, and then the abdominal muscles. The hamstrings play a critical
role in golf posture, and golf posture puts a tremendous amount of strain
on the hamstring muscle group.
Take a look at the position your body is in at address and you'll see
the tension on the hamstrings, glutes and lower back. Stretch these areas
specific to golf and you'll see a huge reduction in injury occurrence
and a more consistent golf posture throughout the round.
Don't waste any more time at home nursing that aching back. Call us and
we will get you back into the game.
Dr. Coppola has been
in clinical practice for over 12 years as a Chiropractor. As a former
Canadian Wrestling Champion and a NPC bodybuilding Champion, his passion
has been helping and inspiring people to restore their health through
nutrition and exercise. For more information, please call Precision Sport
Spine at (210) 492-0111.
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Golf Injury Prevention
In order to improve your golf game, you must have a consistent swing.
Yes, there are other factors of the game, but if you've ever watched Tiger
Woods or any other professional golfer, you will see that there swing
is always consistent.
The golf swing motion is one of the most unnatural actions consisting
of very complex movement for the body; therefore you must develop "Swing
Fitness or Golfer's Fitness". This is very different than ordinary fitness-which
may keep you healthy but won't necessarily do 'diddly-squat' for your
game.
Golfers who carry their own bag have twice the incidence of back, shoulder
and ankle injuries as those who do not carry their bag.
During the swing motion, you are using muscles of your shoulder, arms,
chest, back and legs that normally aren't used. The best way to condition
and develop your 'swing' muscles is by using a heavy or weighted golf
club while practicing your swing. Special golf clubs are designed just
for this purpose.
Maximum Strength
Performing the appropriate strengthening exercises are essential for
improving your golf swing, but more importantly, for preventing injuries.
The following exercises are instrumental.
- Shoulders
& Arms
- Bicep
Curl
- Deltoid
Lateral Raise
- Triceps
Extension
- Forearm
Wrist Curl
- Forearm
Wrist Extension
- Chest
& Back
-
Bench Press
-
Chest Cable Crossover
- Lat
Pull Downs
-
Lat One Arm Bent-Row
-
Seated Cable Row
-
Back Extension
Legs & Abdominals
- Leg
Extension
-
Leg Curl
- Leg
Press
- Ab
Crunches
- Ab
bicycle twist crunch
An eight week research study had golfers utilize these basic exercises;
performing them 3 times per week for 30 minutes. Outcome results showed
a 30% improvement in club head speed and driving power. It also revealed
overall improvement in joint flexibility. If this wasn't enough of a bonus,
you will also notice a difference in your body composition (ratio of lean
muscle to fat).
Flexibility
Flexibility is defined as one's available range of motion about a specific
joint. Flexibility is an important component of a successful golf swing.
Studies have demonstrated that greater amounts of force can be produced
when a muscle is pre-stretched before performing the activity demanded
of it.
A 2004 study suggests that increasing the range of motion of lumbar spine
extension and rotation of the lead hip (left hip in right-handed golfers)
may decrease the incidence of low back pain.
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