How can you avoid injuring your back and losing the second half of the season? Here are a few simple tips for you to keep back pain in check during golf.
First, one of the biggest ways people injure their backs is by lifting their clubs out of the car. Flexion combined with rotation is the red zone where your back is the most vulnerable. Just being aware of this will make you less prone to golf injuries. Remember, lift with your legs, not your back. Don’t try to jerk the bag out of the car and make sure you break the motion down to two steps. Lift your bag, take a step backward and then rotate the clubs down to the ground. Two steps-not one.
Second, be at your fighting weight once the golf season rolls around. For many reading, it’s too late. What can you do now? Work on your conditioning by spending some time on the elliptical, treadmill, stair climber or bicycle.
Improve your cardiovascular strength and lose those extra twenty pounds you have been carrying around the course for years. You won’t be able to lose it in the next month however your long term success is the goal. Also-crunches, planks, mountain climbers—any of these exercises will help improve your core strength and leave you less prone to injuring yourself.
Third, get to the course early so you can hit the range and warm up before heading off to the tee box. Start with your pitching wedge, then your nine iron, three iron, and finally your driver. The longer the lever, the greater the potential for injury. This applies to all sports, especially golf. Your longest club, your driver, has the potential to hurt your back the most. Make sure you’ve taken the time to get your muscles, joints and nervous system used to the forces of golf after a long day sitting down in front of your laptop.
Forth, good form with your golf swing will always trump the bad. Have someone teach you the proper way to swing your clubs using good posture. Your chances of injury will be far less, your score will drop and golf lessons are fun!
Finally, if you had stiffness and soreness last year, odds are, you are going to have it again. Just like any injury, unless properly treated, spinal injuries will reoccur. Be proactive and find a good chiropractor before you get injured. I would recommend finding one that specializes in athletes, keeps the focus on delivering specific and skilled chiropractic adjustments and one who hasn’t signed contracts to become in-network with your insurance company to treat you only when you are in pain. Having a skilled chiropractor on your health care team will help your spine rotate more freely, will have your body align better so that your golf swing is less affected by poor biomechanics, and keep you playing golf longer without injuring your back further. You can schedule at Active Family Chiropractic here:
https://www.activefamilychiropractic.com/booking-calendar If you've really done a number on yourself, here are a few tips to start the healing before your first appointment with me.
Following these tips will help you enjoy a longer season of golf unrestricted by pain.