Have you ever had back pain and pinched a nerve during golf? It hurts and early in the season it is more common than you think.
What causes back pain and pinched nerve pain during golf? Typically it is a result of spinal damage, poor technique or both. If your spine does not move properly on a segmental basis, meaning each vertebra needs to rotate, flex, extend and side bend on top of the others, it will be much more easily injured when brought through extreme ranges of motion. If you have any prior history of disc disease or spinal injury and arthritis of any sort, it is more likely to be easily injured. Is there hope for your golf game even with a little (or a lot) of spinal damage? Absolutely. Here are a few tips from a chiropractor in Plymouth to get you golfing with less pain.
First, you need to properly warm up before you golf. This does involve being willing to look a little stupid in front of your friends so you will need to suck it up to feel good. I would suggest doing planks or sit ups to activate your core muscles and prepare them to contract during your golf swing. Doing walking lunges will also help warm up your legs and butt muscles. I also recommend doing spinal rotation while keeping your hips very still and quiet. Going back and forth several dozen times will help your body prepare for the extreme rotation associated with golf.
Secondly, you know your back always feels sore after your first few times golfing. Pre schedule your visit with our chiropractic office in Plymouth, MN before you hurt yourself. The old saying, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure applies here. My patients that get adjusted regularly and take care of their spine with regular chiropractic care have better swing mechanics, less pain during their round and less recovery time. They end up playing a lot more golf in the season because they are not stopped by pain. Tiger Woods had his own private chiropractor his entire career, he has been quoted numerous times on what an invaluable member of his team his chiropractor has been.
Thirdly, make sure you have good swing technique. Don’t try to evaluate this yourself. A PGA pro will be the best person to help you improve your swing mechanics to avoid damaging your back.
At our Plymouth chiropractic office, Active Family Chiropractic, we are always here to hep you feel better. Schedule your appointment online here and let us know ahead of time if you would like to bring your golf club with for a swing analysis.
Voted "Best Chiropractic Office in Plymouth"-Sun Newspapers Reader's Choice Awards