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Golf: An Excellent Sport and Leisure Activity Involving Exercise, Socialization, and Competition
The average golfer will repeat a swing pattern thousands of times in a season as they attempt to hone their skill and improve performance. This repetitive activity is a major factor for the most common injuries seen in golf. The risk for these injuries can be decreased with proper conditioning, a solid warm-up with stretching, and a good selection of appropriate golf equipment.
While golf exerts a relatively low physical demand on the body compared to some sports, the technical and physical skills required can take many years to refine. With the added benefit of being outdoors it easy to understand why so many make golf their go-to sport; playing throughout adulthood and into retirement.
Golfers, just like the rest of us, experience various physical changes from both aging and fluctuations in overall conditioning. These changes affect everyone differently, but may include a decline in strength, flexibility, coordination, and an increase in body fat.
A physical therapist can be an integral part of any player’s development, ensuring performance gains while minimizing injury. If you are concerned about past injuries, or have pain while golfing, a physical therapy evaluation can help you build confidence and return to the links.
Common Golf-Related Injuries
Lower Back Pain
- Golfers with limited mobility or control of the hip, shoulder, or thoracic regions are at a greater risk for low back pain.
Lateral Elbow Pain (a.k.a. Tennis Elbow)
- The majority of golf-related cases of lateral elbow pain are caused by swing problems. That said, stiffness or limited mobility in the shoulders, thoracic spine, and hips can lead to lateral elbow pain.
Medial Elbow Pain (a.k.a. Golfer’s Elbow)
- Normally caused by similar factors as lateral elbow pain, Golfer’s Elbow can also result from grounding the club during a swing.
Shoulder Pain
- Shoulder pain is most commonly seen within individuals with limited shoulder/hip/spine mobility, causing the golfer to modify their biomechanics to accommodate a golf swing.
Joint Pain
- Arthritic conditions not necessarily caused by golf can limit play either due to pain or by limiting mobility and range of motion; predisposing the golfer to other injuries. These are more specific to the individual and can also be assessed by a physical therapist.
Warm-Ups to Try
Send us an email to get the complete instructions for these stretches.
- Upper Extremity Rotation/Abduction
- Shoulder Extension
- Cross arm stretch, posterior shoulder
- Anterior Shoulder and Torso Stretch
- Upper Body Rotation w/ Club
- Trunk Rotation w/ Club
- Standing Hip Flexor Stretch
- Standing Back Extension
- Wrist Flexor Stretch
- Wrist Extensor Stretch
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