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Prevent Golf Related Injuries
Golf related injuries include
rotator cuff (shoulder) problems, lower back pain and golfer's elbow. Stretching exercises help enhance performance, prevent injuries and promote pain free golf.
There are 26 million golfers (6 million female) and 15,000 golf courses in the U.S. About one quarter of all golfers are really avid golfers (they play 25 or more rounds a year).
Walking 18 holes of golf is the equivalent to 45 minutes of a high intensity workout and has similar health benefits to walking 3 or 4 miles.
There are certain risks, however. In order to enjoy pain free golf and avoid golf injuries, one has to learn proper swing mechanics, have proper equipment, and remember to warm up with stretching exercises before you begin the game. Even superstars, such as Michelle Wie, the 18-year-old Hawaiian teen millionaire, has had problems with a wrist injury.
Golf-related injuries are preventable with proper strength and flexibility training.
The most common injuries are referred to as overuse injuries, and include
rotator cuff (shoulder) problems, lower back pain and golfer's elbow. Wrist pain is also common with older golfers, because of continual extension and twisting of the wrist during the golf swing.
The average golfer bends over on average over 100 times a round, placing tees, picking up balls, etc. About 50% of golfers suffer from some back pain. A male golfer’s swing often reaches a speed of 100 mph in less than one fifth of a second and requires between 3-4 horsepower of muscle power, which can cause stress on the spine.
Golf injuries usually occur on the left arm, for right-handed golfers. On the downswing, your left arm is pulling and your right arm is pushing. Pulling stretches the tendons in your left elbow.
Without rest and subsequent strengthening of the forearm muscles, the pain progressively gets worse so that even minimal activity hurts and weakness can occur. The same is true with wrist and back injuries.
The spine, particularly the lumbar spine (low back) is subjected to extremely high forces during the golf swing. In amateur golfers, injuries to the low back (36% in men; 27.4% in women) are second in number only to elbow injuries. Back pain in golfers might be mechanical, disc-related, arthritis-related or caused by a stress fracture, among other factors.
Golfer's elbow is an inflammation, soreness or pain on the inside of the upper arm near the elbow. Golfer’s elbow is a form of tendonitis, affecting the tendons, which are the ends of muscles that attach to bone. The medical name for golfer’s elbow is medial epicondylitis.
If you sustain a golf-related injury:
- Ice the injury for two days (20 minutes at a time). Apply ice or a cold pack (or a small package of frozen vegetables) to the inner side of the elbow for 15-20 minutes, 4 times a day for several days after the injury. Wrap the ice or cold pack in a towel.
- Rest the injury for a week or two.
- A number of braces and supports are also available to help reduce the load on the elbow or wrist enabling it to heal.
- To reduce pain, swelling and inflammation try QBT Inflammation Formula with quercetin, bromelain and turmeric for wrist, elbow, back or shoulder pain.
STRETCHING EXERCISES
Stretching is important to every game of golf – as a warm up, as a break during repetitive movements, and as a cool down after the game.
Keep muscles flexible and relaxed, joints mobile, and relieve tension and strain by doing a few gentle stretches. Golfers should concentrate on stretching the hands, wrists, forearms, trunk, shoulders, lower back, chest, hamstrings and calf muscles.
- Place a golf club behind your head, rotate and hold for 20 seconds, then turn back and hold again for 20 seconds.
- For the shoulders, stretch one arm across your body and hold for 20 seconds, then repeat with the other arm. For your calf muscles and hamstrings, do toe touches for 20 seconds at a time.
- Standing with your hands at your waist, raise your knuckles to your chin; while holding them in that position, raise and lower your elbow, repeating the exercise at least 10 times.
- Perform wrist curls using a lightweight dumbbell.
- Squeezing a small rubber ball (or tennis ball) with each hand strengthens the forearms and helps protect the elbows from damage.
Proper footwear with good arch support provides a firm grip on the ground and good balance. Good shoes should allow you to walk all day in comfort.
If you play in hot weather, drink water before you go out, and take water with you. Listen to your body and watch for recurring or persisting pain.
Stretch until you feel tension but not pain. Stretching is more effective if you warm-up first. Do leg kicks, arm circles and simulated swings without a club, take a brisk walk, jog lightly, or exercise gradually until you get your heart pumping.
Studies have shown the strong health benefits walking can have in protecting golfers against heart disease, so skip the golf cart and walk the course, if you are able to. Remember, a physically fit golfer will always have the edge over an out-of-shape one.
A conditioning program can improve hip, shoulder and torso strength, as well as flexibility, which is important to enhancing golf performance and preventing injury.
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