It's that time of year again! Time to dust of the old clubs and go for your local course record. As our country's love affair with golf continues to grow, I'd like to give you a few tips to help you stay on the course.
Your Golf Swing May Contribute to Your Back Pain
As pretty as your golf swing may be, there are multiple components of that swing that put your lower back in potential trouble. Golfers must contort their bodies into oddly bent over and twisted postures
while generating a great deal of torque. Now couple this motion in a bent-over stance and repeat that same motion 100+ times over several hours and you have yourself a recipe for potential disaster! Here are 6 tips to take a proactive approach that will better prepare your body for many years of pain-free play.
1. Purchase Equipment That Fits - Don't try to adapt your swing to the wrong clubs. If you have "inherited" some golf clubs, they might be difficult to use. Not only are they probably no the right height, but they may not be flexible enough for your grip. Anyway you size this problem up, you are begging for back pain with clubs that aren't fit for you.
2. Stretch! - It is a good idea to spend some extra time performing quality stretches before AND after your game. Not only will this help prepare your body for the day, but it will also increase your trunk flexibility, leading to increased torque and a farther ball. Take a brisk walk to get the blood flowing to the muscles; then do a set of stretches. To set up a stretching and/or exercise routine, chiropractor or golf pro who can evaluate your areas of tension and flexibility.
3. Larger IS Sometimes Better - For the senior golfers with arthritis in the hands, consider a larger grip for added safety and performance.
4. Keep Your Entire Body Involved - Every third hole, take a few practice swings with the opposite hand to keep your muscles balances and even out stress on your back.
5. Drink Lots of Water - Dehydration causes early fatigue, leading you to compensate by adjusting your swing, thus increasing the risk of injury. Also remember that smoking and/or drinking alcohol causes loss of fluid, so mix in a few glasses of water with your drink of choice.
6. Take The "Drop" - It just takes one bad swing. Striking a root or a rock with your club can leave you injured and sidelined from play. If your unsure whether you can get a clean swing, take the drop.
Visit Your Chiropractor!
Chiropractors are specially trained to treat conditions of the neuromusculoskeletal system. Any fixation in the joints of the spine or extremities will cause you to compensate your swing and increase your potential of further injury. Make sure to stop in and see me at Kite Family Chiropractic for a consultation, and we will get you back on the course in no time!