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Golf and Back Pain
Many golfers strain their backs. There are several reasons, including cold muscles (no warm ups), weak core muscles, poor posture and sitting in the golf cart too much. Here are some things you can do to keep swinging your clubs without hurting your back.
1. Stretch and warm up before playing
Hitting a golf ball full force is a fairly explosive move which is likely to strain your lower back muscles (amongst others) if you haven’t warmed up. You wouldn’t think of doing a sudden sprint without at least a few stretches and running on the spot to warm your muscles up. So why should golf be any different? If you get up and tee off at 7 in morning with no stretches or warm ups and let rip with your newest and greatest club, you could easily sprain the lower back muscles. Do at least 2 stretches-your shoulders and hamstrings. After the two stretches detailed below, do some light twisting from side to side. Do a few slow swings of the golf club. You should then be ready to play.
Hamstring stretch
Your hamstrings (the muscles at the back of the upper legs) are important to stretch because they are attached to the pelvis. This means that they pull on the pelvis when they are tight. You need looser hamstring muscles in order to prevent them pulling on your pelvis and lower back. A simple standing hamstring stretch is as follows: Put your right leg in front of your left leg, keeping the right leg straight. You can bend the back leg (left leg) slightly. Bend forward at the hips and hold onto your right shin or ankle. You will feel a stretch down the right leg. Hold this for 15 seconds or so and then repeat on the left side.
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Shoulder stretch
You obviously are using your shoulders in swinging at a golf ball. Once again, tight and cold muscles don’t respond well to sudden twisting. Place your right hand behind your neck, between the shoulder blades, elbow pointing upwards. Grab the right elbow with your left hand and pull, stretching the right shoulder. Hold this for 15 seconds then repeat on the other side.
You obviously are using your shoulders in swinging at a golf ball. Once again, tight and cold muscles don’t respond well to sudden twisting. Place your right hand behind your neck, between the shoulder blades, elbow pointing upwards. Grab the right elbow with your left hand and pull, stretching the right shoulder. Hold this for 15 seconds then repeat on the other side.
2. Strengthen your abdominal muscles
Do 5-10 minutes a day of strengthening exercises. Choose crunches rather than sit-ups as
sit-ups will strain your back if you are not used to exercising. Perform 10 repetitions to start with and increase this each week. Also choose a stability exercise, like the plank. Time yourself and try to improve the time you spend in the position each week.
3. Get out of the golf cart
Golf should involve a bit of walking. Walking will engage the muscles that remain stiff if you’re sitting in a golf cart all day. Walking exercises the hamstring muscles, for example, which will mean less chance of lower back pain. Make it your aim to walk the first 9 holes before you start sipping G&T in the golf cart !
Enjoy your golf!
Do 5-10 minutes a day of strengthening exercises. Choose crunches rather than sit-ups as
sit-ups will strain your back if you are not used to exercising. Perform 10 repetitions to start with and increase this each week. Also choose a stability exercise, like the plank. Time yourself and try to improve the time you spend in the position each week.
3. Get out of the golf cart
Golf should involve a bit of walking. Walking will engage the muscles that remain stiff if you’re sitting in a golf cart all day. Walking exercises the hamstring muscles, for example, which will mean less chance of lower back pain. Make it your aim to walk the first 9 holes before you start sipping G&T in the golf cart !
Enjoy your golf!