Acute injuries are usually the result of a single, traumatic episode, such as hitting the ground or a slightly submerge tree root. Overuse injuries are subtle and usually creep up on us through over-time wear and tear. These injuries will more often stem from the stress that the golfer puts on the back and shoulders when swinging. The three most commonly injured areas of the body are the lower back, shoulder and inside of the elbow.
What causes overuse injuries in golf?
- Excessive play
- Poor Swing mechanism
- Ground Impact
- Lack of Flexibility
- Poor conditioning
- Intermittent playing
Poor flexibility is a key risk factor for a golf injury. One survey showed that more than 80 percent of golfers spent less than 10 minutes warming up before a round. Those who did warm up had less than half the incidence of injuries of those who did not warm up before playing. The golf swing is broken down into four phases: backswing, downswing, acceleration/ball strike, and follow through. Any limitations in range of motion (ROM) will hamper the golfer’s ability to achieve the proper swing plane, thus increasing the stress on the involved joints and muscles. The second main reason for golf injuries is the repetitive nature of this sport. The golf swing involves repetitive, high-velocity movement of the neck, shoulders, spine, elbow, wrist, hips, knees, and ankles. The percentage of injuries directly correlates with the number of rounds or the number of range/practice balls struck per week.
How we can help?
- Correcting posture which may be limiting swing transition and follow through
- Tailored stretching program prior to starting
- Increasing flexibility in muscles and joints
- Core exercises to reduce lower back loading
- Active muscle release in affected joint to free up joint and reduce inflammation
- Dry Needling
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