When people think of sports injuries, they often picture team sports, and in particular those where a lot of contact is expected like football. However, it’s not difficult to be injured performing any strenuous physical activity, including golf. How does one get injured playing golf?
How Do Golf Players Get Injured?
There are quite a few common golf injuries that many players suffer from as golf requires frequent repetitive motions. New golfers will often experience neck pain and back pain from not being used to how one moves their body while golfing. Sunburns are also common for people not used to properly covering themselves and applying and reapplying sunscreen when necessary, during a long day of golf.
The repetitive motions in golf affect a golfer’s knees, wrists, fingers, hands, and shoulders. It’s important to always warm up to help lower the potential of injuries as a result of golfing, or any strenuous physical activities for that matter.
What Muscles Get Sore from Golf?
Rotator cuffs are often sore after a game of golf. Overuse or even a few too many bad swings can cause tears in the muscle. Depending on the severity of the pain, anti-inflammatories may be necessary. In some more extreme cases, surgical options may need to be considered.
The spine and surrounding back muscles also receive a great deal of strain during a game of golf. Not only from the golf swing, but as you golf, you are often bending over throughout the game. And even with a golf cart, you’re on your feet for hours at a time during a golf game. If you aren’t being careful, minor strain and pulls can get worse over time, and stiffness or mild back pain could become more frequent and intense over time.
How Do I Protect My Back While Golfing?
There are many tips out there on how to protect your back while golfing.
- Keep Your Spine Straight
Keeping your spine straight is of paramount importance. Keeping your shoulders aligned with your hips as you swing will help to keep your spine straight.
- Doing Core Exercises
Core exercises like planks will help your back as well. Strengthening the muscles around your pelvis and lower back will help your muscles perform better and decrease the amount of stress you put on your spine.
- Don’t Stand Too Far Away From The Ball
If you end up standing farther from the ball, you’ll be stretching your spine and rotating your body more to hit it. The further you’re stretching to hit the ball, the more difficult it is to keep your spine straight while golfing.
Total Chiropractic Care Can Help You Manage Pain from Sports Injuries
Many of those who play golf, whether professionally or just for fun, want to play it as long into their lives as possible. The same holds true for many other casual sports activities like bowling or tennis. Without the proper care, and even when are you doing your best, back pain can become more and more prevalent and impact our ability to enjoy these kinds of activities. Total Chiropractic Care provides a wide range of services including massage therapy, physical therapy, spinal decompression, lifestyle advice, and more so you can feel better while doing the activities you love. Contact us today and we’ll come up with a comprehensive approach to your care tailored to your needs.