Golf injuries are a reality of the game.
Though golf may appear to be a sport that’s easy on your body, the golf swing demands a great deal of flexibility to perform well. If you play golf you know what I’m talking about. Elbow pain, lower back pain are common injuries among golfers.
I just received the following post from guest author, Scott McCormick that addresses some of these issues and gives some good advice on how to avoid those sneaky injuries on the golf course.
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Golf is a sport that demands a unique type of physical prowess. While it isn’t an action-packed contact game like football, the physical risk is still there for golfers of all sizes, shapes and playing ability. The chance of injury is under recognized in the game of golf, and this lack of awareness makes players susceptible to a variety of injuries.
Adding to the complexity, golf is a sport that people of all ages participate in. This makes narrowing down the risks much more difficult, as each and every player faces unique challenges when it comes to staying healthy during a round or season.
Below are particular ways to prepare your body for the game of golf, and how they help your anatomy adjust for the demands of the course.
Swim some laps: Swimming is an activity that helps prepare the body for golf, specifically building up muscles around leg and arm joints. Where injury is concerned within golf, it’s not so much the motions themselves, but the frequency with which those motions are carried out. Swinging a club 75-110 times per round (if you’re a decent golfer) is hard on the shoulder socket. Similarly, walking isn’t difficult for most people, but when done for several miles it can become a concern if any joints are compromised.
Swimming is a low-impact exercise that can help your body prepare for moderate-impact activities like golf. The repetitive motion in a low gravity environment builds up the tissue and muscles around your joints, adding the support needed for a long golf round or season. Swimming also promotes flexibility, regardless of which stroke you’re focusing on.
Utilize treadmill incline: Treadmills are ideal for preventing injury because they allow your body to train itself in a controlled environment. Without potholes or any other imperfections, your muscles are able to train gradually all the way up to golf form. One idea to try is to not only use a treadmill, but use it at an incline. This will help your hamstrings, calf muscles and joints adjust to a gradient. If you incorporate this into your routine, you should experience less fatigue toward the end of rounds.
Even though golf is low-impact, using a treadmill at an incline still requires a legitimate amount of muscle memory and endurance. Using the adjustable controlled environment that is a treadmill can really help your body prepare as a golfer.
Do yoga: Yoga isn’t for everyone, but if you like to golf it’s an unbelievable activity to help avoid injury on the course. Lower back issues are extremely common within golfers, and yoga is widely recognized as a way to strengthen core and back muscles. It also increases full body flexibility and balance. In a sport that demands such a high level of proper technique and consistency, these areas are always something you can improve on.
Yoga is an easy supplement to a golf schedule. You can do it at home. This type of exercise can help prevent injury in any sport, and golf clearly isn’t an exception.
Golf presents injury risk that’s often masked by its pleasant appeal. The sport still requires a player to be in physical shape and it’s important to set yourself up for that demand. While there are many activities that contribute positively to that, these are a few to get you started. From there, you should experience more endurance and success as you continue in your golf career.
Scott McCormick writes for San Diego Golf Now about the best courses to play in California.
Have you experienced a golf injury? How did you handle it? Any special exercises you can recommend? Add your comments in the space below.
