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Stay healthy on the course – how to prevent 3 of the most common golf injuries

Stay healthy on the course – how to prevent 3 of the most common golf injuries

 

If you’re a seasoned golf player, you most likely know that the risk of sustaining an injury on the course is quite high. Therefore, understanding the most common golf injuries can help you prevent a health issue before it arises or identify the proper treatment and fastest route for recovery. 

From an outsider’s perspective, golf might seem like a low-impact sport associated with little or no injury risk. But you’re a golfer who hits the course regularly and has often experienced the pains and discomfort associated with practising the sport. You also have heard of sudden oncoming injuries like strains and sprains and want to ensure you won’t fall victim to any of them. 

This article provides information about the most common golf injuries and how to avoid them. Skills Training Group specialists recommend that golf clubs train their healthcare personnel to identify and treat golf-related injuries so they can protect their members and provide them with the necessary assistance if they get injured on the course.  

Lower back pain

A full round of 18 holes keeps golfers hunched over the ball for four or five hours, putting great stress on their back and causing pain and strain. Lower back and spine injuries are common among amateur golf players, with 27% of them experiencing this kind of health issue. As expected, an improper swing technique causes lower back pain among golfers because when they swing too forcefully or rough, they strain their muscles and put significant pressure on their spine’s discs and ligaments. And let’s not forget that spinal mobility decreases as individuals get older; hence it’s more likely for a senior golfer to experience lower back pain.

Those carrying their clubs instead of using a cart can also experience upper back pain due to the weight on their spine. 

Can you prevent back pain?

As with all the other sports, you can take several preventive measures to lower the risk of injuring yourself on the course. 

Warm up before playing golf

It’s paramount to warm up before practising any sport to increase the blood flow to your muscles, relax them, and make them less susceptible to tears. Mobile stretching improves your mobility, so your range of motion is greater during swings. 

Stretch at the end of the game

Cooling down is as important as warming up because it clears the lactic acid from your system. When you perform physical activities, your body builds lactic acid, which can cause muscle fatigue and pain if you skip the stretching phase at the end. Cooling down also reduces delayed onset muscle soreness that is often associated with muscle tension, discomfort, and pain. 

Improve your swing technique

Besides warming up and cooling down before and at the end of every game, you should also work on your swing technique to ensure it causes no injury to your spine or lower back. It’s crucial to swing in a controlled and smooth way, not to hit the ball too hard and overexert your muscles and joints. Balance is crucial for any golfer because it allows them to perfect their technique, so achieve optimal balance by keeping your feet shoulder-width apart and bending the knees. 

Strengthen your body 

Playing golf puts great strain on your upper body so it’s vital to optimise its strength to avoid getting injured when on the course. Hitting the gym when you’re not playing golf and following a fitness programme suitable for your body enables you to prevent the risk of injury. If you’re not a gym fan, you can create your own fitness routine at home to strengthen your upper body. 

Golfer’s elbow

Considering that this health issue is named after the game, it’s easy to understand that it’s quite common among players. Golfer’s elbow is a condition similar to tendonitis associated with inflammation in the tendons in the elbow. If you have this health issue, you’ll most likely deal with the following symptoms:

– You won’t be able to make a fist

– You feel discomfort when twisting your arm

– You find it challenging to bend or lift your arm

– You experience pain or tenderness on the inside of your elbow

– You cannot swing the golf club

Make sure to treat this condition before it extends to your wrists and hands because it can cause severe damage. Considering the technique required to hit the ball, you can see why this kind of injury is specific to golfers. 

Can you prevent the Golfer’s elbow?

As with the above condition, you can prevent or improve this one if you warm up, cool down, and strengthen your muscles. It’s crucial to optimise the strength in the arms as you work them extensively when playing golf and use clubs of different dimensions. Wearing special equipment can also help improve your symptoms (in case it’s too late to prevent the condition). You might find it quite relieving to wear an elbow compression sleeve. 

Wrist injury

Golfers can fall victim to a series of wrist injuries, depending on the action or movement that causes them. A study reveals that one in three responders report dealing with a wrist injury while playing golf. The most common wrist injuries happen in the ulnar side of the wrist of the leading arm. 

You can experience a wrist injury if you use poorly fitting clubs or don’t master your swing technique and put too much pressure on your wrist. 

Wrist sprains are also common among golf players because they often hit hidden obstacles like tree roots or rocks when they try to hit the ball. 

Can you prevent a wrist injury?

Working on your strength and stretching your upper body before a game can lower the risk of injuring yourself during the game. And as we pointed out above, refining your technique is vital because not even the best equipment available on the market can compensate for a poor technique. If needed, work with a coach to learn how to properly hit the ball and adjust your action according to the course conditions. 

As you can imagine, these three aren’t the only injuries you can experience on the golf course, but they’re definitely the most common, and it’s crucial to know how to prevent them. 

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