By Sam Cortes, Communications Coordinator
It’s never too late to learn about golf injuries and how to prevent them. While it is a relatively low impact sport, golfers may still be injured and sidelined by pain.
Many potential injuries result from some aspect of the golf swing, which involves a delicate balance of forward motion, muscle contractions, and the long lever arm effect created by the force of the golf club.
Other injuries may result from improper form and/or the repetitive nature of the sport. Below are some common golf injuries and some tips on how to treat paint and prevent injury.
Tendonitis: Tennis Elbow and Golfer’s Elbow
Tennis elbow is an irritation and inflammation of the outer tendon of your arm, while golfer’s elbow refers to irritation and inflammation of the inner tendon. Strangely, more golfers suffer from tennis elbow than golf elbow, but the result can still be very painful.
Tendonitis occurs due to overuse of the tendons involved, so when practicing always make sure you’re using proper swing techniques. It’s also a good idea to rotate your practice regimen to give your elbows and arms time to rest.
If the tendonitis gets too inflamed, you may have to put the clubs away while you allow your body to reduce inflammation and heal. During the rest from your golf game, you can also gently strengthen the muscles and tendons and work on correcting your swing technique.
Back Strains
Whether practicing at the range or playing out on the course, the hours spent hunched over your club can add up to serious back pain across your lower back or between your shoulder blades. This pain can also be amplified by the rotational stresses put onto your back as you swing.
To help mitigate back issues, focus on strength and mobility, not only around your spine, but also around your hips, shoulders, and neck. Flexibility exercises such as yoga can also help to prevent back injuries.
Wrist Pain
In a single golf swing, your wrist moves through a variety of positions. Though subtle and rapid, the repetitive movements can cause acute or chronic pain. Your grip, extreme wrist angles, and hitting rocks or hard surfaces can also play a role in causing wrist injuries.
If you experience wrist pain, seeing a clinician in order to find the cause of the pain should be your first step. After identifying the source of the pain, working with a physiotherapist in a strengthening exercise program can help moving forward. In some instances, they may recommend training aides, such as splints, to help manage wrist injuries.
Hip Pain
In a golf swing, both hips rotate both internally and externally and are a large source of power and consistency. Golfing itself can cause muscular issues around the hip, but most golfers presenting with hip pain have underlying issues like osteoarthritis.
Regularly exercising and maintaining strong gluteal, abdominal, and leg muscles are recommended for golfers, as weakness in these muscles can increase the chances of hip injuries, groin strains, and lower back issues, as well as irritating an already arthritic hip.
Pain Treatment Tips
The RICE Method—Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation—is a conservative approach that works for minor strains, muscle pain, and other issues. RICE works best when used within the first few days of developing an injury.
Taping and strapping can help support areas like elbows and knees, as well as reduce stress for other soft-tissue and muscles by providing extra tension.
Pain Prevention Tips
For many types of injuries, physical therapy has shown to be an effective way of strengthening the injured area while recovering. It can also help you learn proper form and techniques to reduce the risk of another golf injury.
If you suspect an injury, book an appointment with one of the experienced clinicians at the Sport Manitoba Clinic.
We also offer a Golf Medicine Program to identify your limitations and provide guidance and exercises to correct them. Our Titleist Performance Institute-certified physiotherapist, Brian Buffie, and former member of the University of Manitoba Bison Men’s golf team, is committed to assessing and treating low to high-handicap golfers.
Sources
Ship Sticks – The 5 Most Common Golf Injuries (And What to Do About Them)
Medical Wave – 8 Most Common Golf Injuries and 6 Treatment Methods
