Exercises For Golf And Lower Back Pain

Golf and Lower Back Pain

This time of year we often field the question: "Does golf cause damage to my spine?" The answer: Not if you warm up fully and swing properly. Golf is a wonderful recreational activity suitable for a wide range of ages.

General health benefits are derived from the 5 miles of walking involved in an 18-hole round. And with features like handicapping and different sets of tees, golf unlike many other activities, can be enjoyed by people of varying skill levels.

An injured back, the most common injury sustained from golf, however, should not be taken lightly. An injury to your spine can result in the bones (vertebrae) becoming misaligned. Spinal misalignments (also called subluxations) lead to choking of the nerves exiting the spine AND early spinal degeneration.

Chiropractors are specially trained to correct spinal misalignments and ensure that the most important part of your body, your nervous system, continues to function optimally. If you're planning on golfing this season: warm up well before the first hole, be sure to drink enough water during and after your round and don't forget to have fun.

If you're concerned about how spinal misalignments may be affecting your health: schedule your check up today.

You can reach Dr. Collin Henderson at (403) 217-3002. Or visit his website at Live Life Well. Dr. Henderson is located at 2110A-33rd Ave SW, Calgary Ab, T2T-1Z7.

Golf is enjoying a surge of popularity and with it an army of back clutchers!

The back pain usually comes from muscle strains and sprains. Golfers who suffer from chronic or recurrent episodes of low back pain can be frustrated because the pain hinders their ability to play golf.

Low Back Sprain and Strain -

A strain of the muscle can occur when the muscle is poorly conditioned or overworked. The ligaments of the low back act to interconnect the five vertebral bones and provide support or stability for the low back. A sprain of the low back can occur when a sudden, forceful movement injures a ligament that has become stiff or weak through poor conditioning or overuse. You have to warm up and maintain your fitness Golfers!

Other causes of injury to a slicer include:
1. poor conditioning
2. improper use
3. obesity
4. smoking

The natural effects of normal aging on the body, in general, and low back, in particular, are osteoporosis or decreased amount of bone; decrease in strength and elasticity of muscles; and decrease in elasticity and strength of ligaments. Although you cannot totally halt the progress of these effects, they can be slowed by regular exercise, knowing the proper way to lift and move objects, proper nutrition, and not smoking.

If you hurt your back playing golf, what should you do?

Most low back injuries that occur during a round of golf will get better over a couple of days to weeks. The most common back attacks are:

1. Muscle strains: typically occurs with rough or forceful swings or a sudden shift during the downswing.
2. Muscle and tendon attachment: generally occurs due to excessive use, accidents or swing abnormalities
3. Disc injuries: can occur from swinging abnormalities (note that this is usually due to a pre-existing disc lesion that is aggravated by golf).
For relief of the pain and to promote healing, it is generally advisable to rest for a day or two, apply heat and/or ice, and take pain medication. Medications like ibuprofen or naproxen can help decrease inflammation, and acetaminophen may be taken in conjunction with these medications to further help reduce pain. Don't play through a low backache. Taking time off from golf will allow the muscles to heal more quickly. Continuing to stretch , do a low-impact aerobic exercise program, and try some walking for 30 to 40 minutes every other day. After the back pain has stopped, slowly start to golf again and be aware of how your body responds. Stop before you fatigue the area again! If the pain continues for more than two to six weeks, a specific and definable problem may be the cause of pain and a medical professional should be consulted.

Now if you want to prevent back pain..

Here are some things you should do to avoid the problem of back pain before it starts. That way you wont have to burn that money you spent on a membership to lynx ridge golf course!

1. Warm-up

Jumping out of the car on a cool morning, pulling out your driver, and then trying to hit the cover off the ball is probably the best way to sprain your back muscles and ruin the rest of the day. Take five minutes and do some stretches, a few easy back swings and working the clock rotations with your swing not only warms you up but gets your head in the game.

First, start with stretching. Stretching should emphasize the shoulder, torso, and hip regions as well as the hamstring muscles.
2. The shoulder and torso may be stretched by holding a golf club behind the neck and shoulders and then rotating the torso.
3. The hips maybe stretched by pulling the knee to the chest.
4. The hamstrings maybe stretched by bending over and trying to touch the toes

Gently swinging a golf club helps warm up the necessary muscle groups and prepares them for the unique stresses that a golf swing produces. If you have the time, going to the driving range before a golf game is very helpful. Practice should begin with the smaller irons and progress up to the larger woods. This process allows the muscles to gradually warm up.

Swing

The goal of a golf swing is to develop clubhead speed, and to do this a lot of stress is applied to the back. Golfers should emphasize a smooth, rhythmic swing, as this produces less stress to the low. With a proper swing, the shoulder, hip, and chest/ lower spine area rotate to share the load of the swing. The shoulder and hip turn, along with the wrist snap, will produce more clubhead velocity than a stiff arm swing. Good balance is achieved by slightly bending the knees and keeping the feet approximately shoulder-width apart. The spine should be straight, and the golfer should bend forward from the hips. Weight should be distributed evenly on the balls of the feet.

Carrying the golf bag

Some individual's like to carry their bag to get more exercise, and while this maybe a good idea, bag straps that place all the pressure on one shoulder can be hard on the back. It's a good idea to use dual straps to evenly divide the weight, or hire a caddie and walk fast. That way you get humour and exercise! Believe it or not, it's the young players that tend to cause the most damage to themselves. Youthfull vigor and harder swings lead to higher torque forces on the lower back. To compensate for a tweeked lower back most will modify thier swings to a more relaxed posture, 31-inch back swings, increased hand action and a shorter finish.

Back Pain Exercises

Exercises to minimize problems with back pain

You can minimize problems with back pain with exercises that make the muscles in your back, stomach, hips and thighs strong and flexible. Some people keep in good physical condition by being active in recreational activities like running, walking, bike riding, and swimming. In addition to these conditioning activities, there are specific exercises that are directed toward strengthening and stretching your back, stomach, hip and thigh muscles.

Before beginning any exercise program, you should discuss the program with your doctor and follow the doctor's advice. It is important to exercise regularly, every other day. Before exercising you should warm up with slow, rhythmic exercises; if you haven't exercised in some time, you can warm up by walking. Inhale deeply before each repetition of an exercise and exhale when performing each repetition.

Exercises to strengthen your muscles

Wall slides to strengthen back, hip, and leg muscles

Stand with your back against a wall and feet shoulder-width apart. Slide down into a crouch with knees bent to about 90 degrees. Count to five and slide back up the wall. Repeat 5 times.

Leg raises to strengthen back and hip muscles.

Lie on your stomach. Tighten the muscles in one leg and raise it from the floor. Hold your leg up for a count of 10 and return it to the floor. Do the same with the other leg. Repeat five times with each leg.

Leg raises to strengthen stomach and hip muscles.

Lie on your back with your arms at your sides. Lift one leg off the floor. Hold your leg up for a count of 10 and return it to the floor. Do the same with the other leg. Repeat five times with each leg. If that is too difficult, keep one knee bent and the foot flat on the ground while raising the leg.

Partial sit-up to strengthen stomach muscles

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on floor. Slowly raise your head and shoulders off the floor and reach with both hands toward your knees. Count to 10. Repeat five times.

Some times Lower back pain isn't sudden. "Wear and tear" and inherited factors will cause degenerative changes in the disks, called degenerative disk disease, and arthritic changes in the small joints. These changes occur to some degree in everyone. When severe, they can cause low back stiffness and pain. Arthritic bone spurs and inflamed joints can cause nerve irritation and leg pain. Almost everyone develops "wear and tear" changes in their low back as they age, although for most people it causes little pain or loss of function.



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Ray Burton is a 15 year veteran weight loss coach who specializes in helping busy moms and parents maximize their results.