| I've got some bad news, golfers. It turns out that | | | | feel any better, pros sometimes have back |
| playing golf is bad for your back. Around half of all | | | | injuries as well! |
| golfers will have some type of lower back injury | | | | If you work on your swing, your lower back will |
| during sometime in their lives, due to golfing. It | | | | thank you for it. |
| appears that the golf swing itself is to blame. You | | | | Warm Up |
| run the risk just by swinging the club. | | | | Doing some stretches before you start golfing |
| Now the good news: There are some things you | | | | may go a long way. You especially want to do |
| can do to reduce stress on your lower back in | | | | some light stretches that you can feel pulling |
| the golf swing. | | | | those lower back muscles around the spine. Doing |
| When you swing your golf club, you repeat the | | | | some slow swings as part of your warm up |
| exact same action over and over again. This | | | | routine also helps reduce the risk of a |
| naturally puts a strain on the same muscles each | | | | stress-related lower back injury. |
| time. Every time you swing, these certain muscles | | | | Work Out |
| have to tense and release, and they get tired. | | | | One way to dramatically reduce stress on your |
| When these muscles are tired, you are much | | | | lower back with your golf swing is to stick to a |
| more likely to suffer a lower back injury. | | | | workout program that works those lower back |
| The Solution | | | | muscles. |
| Work On Your Swing | | | | If you develop a golf-specific fitness program, |
| I know you're probably the greatest golfer ever | | | | you will not only keep from getting injured, you'll |
| known to man and you're ready to do battle with | | | | play a better game. |
| Tiger Woods, so you can probably skip this part. | | | | What you want to do is to stretch and |
| If, however, you are an amateur golfer and not a | | | | strengthen those muscles in the lower back |
| pro, you are at more risk of injuring your lower | | | | around the spine. And, I hate to bring this up, but |
| back because of your swing. | | | | taking off some pounds right around the middle of |
| Pros use their muscles more efficiently because | | | | your torso will also help keep your lower back in |
| they are used to swinging over and over again in | | | | better shape and reduce stress. |
| the same way. You and me, on the other hand, | | | | Get Better |
| make up for our lack of skill with extra force. | | | | Finally, if you have a lower back injury, give it |
| What you are probably doing is twisting your | | | | enough time before you hit the green again. Lots |
| lower back a bit more than is necessary and | | | | and lots of lower back re-injuries could have been |
| putting too much "heart" into it, thus running the | | | | easily prevented if eager golfers had taken a few |
| risk of straining your back. An excess of | | | | more weekends off. Stick to your re-habilitation |
| rotational stress and over-bending is what causes | | | | plan, and ask your chiropractor or trainer if you |
| trouble for your lower back. And, if it makes you | | | | aren't sure. |