According to an article in the American
Journal of Sports Medicine, at any given time, 30% of all professional golfers
are playing injured. Although this is a
staggering number, it is estimated that amateur golfers are at an even higher
risk of being injured.
Robert Gaines
M.D., F.A.C.S. stated, “Weekend golfers subject their backs to higher loads,
greater muscular efforts, higher disc pressures, facet loading, and muscle
tearing.” What this statement means in
plain English is that golf motion produces a large amount of pressure and
strain on the low back, which can cause injury. The saddest part about this information is
that the majority of these types of injuries are preventable.
The three major causes of low back injuries
in golfers are de-conditioning, lack of proper flexibility, and improper swing
mechanics. These three factors are all
easily prevented with proper stretching and training. nImproper low back spinal mechanics
can contribute to the increased likelihood of injury. If your spine is inflexible or is moving
incorrectly, this forces other areas of your body to compensate and increase
motion.
This in turn can cause injuries
to other parts of your body such as the neck and shoulders. It is important to realize that every part of
your body works together in order for you to perform a very complicated golf
swing. It is also invaluable for you to
stretch before picking up a golf club.
Your per tee time stretch should
began at home before you start for the golf course. It is important to perform stretches such as
the cat stretch, the lying twist, hamstring stretch and quadriceps stretching
before you leave home. It is also
important to perform some stretching on the putting green before you tee
off. One easy stretch is to put your
driver behind your shoulders and slowly twist to each side in order to loosen
up your low back.
It is important to
loosen up before any physical activity, don’t forget that golf is a
maximum-effort, maximum ability sport and should be treated as such. With a
little stretching and training I am sure that you will be able to beat my
scores on the golf course.
Consult a Doctor for
further information about stretching and flexibility. Ask your Chiropractor today! Call our office today at (908) 813-8200 or complete our easy online form to schedule an initial consultation.
This article is not intended to diagnose, cure, or treat any disease. This article is not intended to substitute for the advice of a doctor.
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