Golf is a beloved sport across the world for many different reasons. It’s a great way to get in exercise, spend quality time in nature, and enjoy a little competition amongst friends. While golf might not involve physical contact with other players in competition like many other sports, it can still be a source of injuries or discomfort for many individuals as you twist, bend over, and exert force to hit the golf ball or put in steps as you walk the course. We’ve highlighted some of the causes of golf injuries and detailed some of the best stretches and exercises you can do to alleviate golf pain and reduce the likelihood of injuries including:
Before beginning any type of stretching or exercise routine, you should consult with a qualified healthcare professional. Take a look at some of the best stretches and exercises you can implement before and after your next golf outing to help you alleviate golf pain.
You may be wondering why certain injuries are so prevalent in golf when it’s known to be a low-intensity sport? Even successful and prolific golf athletes in the world can be susceptible to golf injuries. While golf might be considered a low-intensity or low-impact sport, the repetitive nature and stress we place on our backs during each golf swing may cause pain or discomfort throughout the course of a round or afterward. A golf swing is performed through a full-body rotation, which builds centrifugal force and allows you to hit the ball. The range of motion required to perform this powerful swing is greater than the normal range of motion of our lumbar spine. Over the course of a golf round, our bodies require us to move through a larger range of motion by involving the thoracic spine, hips, and ankles in the swinging motion. The entire upper body can also get involved as you twist your wrists, shoulders, and arms to get the perfect contact as you swing the club. A slight tweak here or there in the full body motion and you can send a golf ball careening into the woods next to the tee. Golf might be considered a low-intensity sport, but it requires significant hand-eye coordination, strength, and flexibility to sync up all the complex movements over the duration of the swing to keep the club under control, make good contact, and get the ball to the target. Some of the most common causes for golf injuries include but are not limited to:
Hitting the range before your next golf outing is an important step in making sure that you dial in those irons and driver, but it can also present a great opportunity for you to set yourself up for success by doing a light warmup and doing some pre-round stretches to get your body ready for the stress that you’re about to place upon it. A proper warmup includes range work starting with the wedge with half swings and work towards the driver. Typically, wedges should be hit 10-15 times, then low irons 5-10 times, mid and long irons 3-5 times and then progress to full swings at 3 wood 5 swings and driver 5 swings then finally going to the first hole.
In addition, hitting the range before your session can allow you to slowly build up the speed and intensity of your swing as you get more comfortable so you can focus on starting your round off with the proper technique. Even if you warm up and do some pre-round stretches, poor technique can still creep in throughout your round if you’re not vigilant. Having that increased range of motion requires new motor control patterns which can lead to different swing patterns over the course of a round. Having that motor pattern with repetition on the range is imperative. As you continue to use poor technique, you might place additional stress on your body with each swing. Some common technique issues that can creep in include the angle of attack at which you’re making contact with the ball , the amount of rotation you implement on your backswing or followthrough, tempo, and your posture .
Some of the most common types of golf injuries are:
In order to prevent and/or relieve pain from golf injuries, there are several different exercises and stretches you can do to strengthen your core, ease back tension, and increase hip mobility.
When your thoracic spine lacks mobility, your shoulders and lumbar spine compensate by decreasing their stability and increasing their range of motion past the healthy limit. This may cause over-rotation during a golf swing, and lead to lower back and shoulder injuries. The side-lying thoracic rotation exercise takes stress off of your spine, stabilizes your shoulders, and increases thoracic spine mobility through the rotation of your torso. Another option is to perform a shoulder external rotation stretch to get to the set position at the top of the back swing to prevent an “over the top” compensation.
Bird dogs, named after the recognizable “point” position of hunting dogs, are a great exercise to build spinal stability, strengthen your lats, and engage your core. Your lats help to stabilize your spine and protect your lower back from golf injuries. Bird dogs may also help to improve mobility, as it puts your arms and legs through a full range of motion.
knees. Keep your abs engaged throughout the entire exercise
While your lats are an important aspect of protecting your lower back, your glutes can also prevent golf-related injuries. Activating your glutes helps increase hip extension strength, which gives you more rotational power. This keeps you from overcompensating with other muscle groups, which may result in injury. One of the best ways to strengthen your glute muscles is by doing glute bridges.
To avoid golf-related back pain, you want to have a core that’s strong on all sides, not just the front abdominal area. Side planks are one of the best exercises you can do to build strength in your lateral wall core muscles, which are key components to keeping your back stable during your golf swing. However, side planks must be done with proper form to be effective and avoid straining your lumbar spine.
While strengthening your core, hips, and glutes can all be effective ways to reduce the likelihood of a back injury from golf, another area golfers tend to experience pain in is the elbow. The repetitive motions of a golf stroke may wear down the muscles and tendons that control your wrist and fingers, which may lead to tenderness and stiffness in the arm — this is known as golfer’s elbow. Many golfers will practice the wrist flexor stretch, also known as the golfer’s elbow stretch, to alleviate this pain.
The next stretch you can do is the Wrist Extensor stretch. Over the course of a round, repeatedly hitting the ball on the ground can cause your forearms to get sore. Wrist Extensor stretches can help to alleviate pain in your forearms.
Physical therapy can be an effective treatment option to address your golf pain and help you get back to enjoying your next round of golf. At Results Physiotherapy, we believe that people shouldn’t have to live in pain. Our physical therapists create a personalized treatment plan for each patient and are 100% committed to helping them reach their health goals. Golf is one of the most popular sports in the world and golf pain shouldn’t prevent you from enjoying your next round. Request an appointment today at a nearby physical therapy clinic to see how our physical therapists can help you alleviate golf pain!
