Golf And Back Pain

Many golfers complain of back pain. This article looks at a few reasons: cold or stiff muscles, weak core or abdominal muscles, bad posture and too much sitting down in the golf cart. Here are actions you can take so that you play golf without straining your back.

Warm up 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 wouldnt 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.

Shoulder stretch Any swinging motion such as swinging a golf club uses the shoulder muscles. Like your hamstrings, if they haven't been warmed up, the shoulder muscles can be strained by sudden movements. Here is a simple shoulder stretch: Place the right hand at the back of the neck, between the shoulder blades. Your elbow should point upwards. Hold the right elbow with the left hand. Pull gently. You will feel a stretch in the right shoulder. Hold this for 10-15 seconds. Repeat with the left shoulder.

Maintain Good Posture Over a few hours, by repeatedly bending your back each time you pick up your golf bag or the ball, you can strain the lower back muscles. Don't bend your back when picking something up. Bend your knees and use your leg muscles to take the weight.

Strengthen your abdominals The abdominal muscles support your torso. That's why weak abs often lead to low back pain. Do 5-10 minutes a day of abdominal exercises, such as crunches. Crunches are preferable to sit-ups as sit-ups can put a lot of strain on your lower back. Do 10 crunches a day. Each week, try to increase this number. In addition, do a stability exercise, for example the plank. Hold the position for 15 seconds and increase this time each week.

Don't sit in the cart too much Golfers need to walk around a bit. Walking exercises engage the muscles that remain stiff if you're sitting down all day. For example, walking exercises your hamstrings, so the muscles are less stiff and you have less chance of back strain. Walk every second or third hole. Enjoy your golf without back pain!