Page 16 - Robeson Living Summer 2022

Golf & Back Pain

By Dr. Damon Blackley

With the weather getting so hot lately it has reminded me of liv- The most important thing you can do is to warm up before
ing in Florida while I was in college. While living outside Day- you begin playing a round. Going to the first tee cold and try-
tona Beach my friends and I loved to play golf when we were ing to crush a drive down the fairway is probably the surest
not studying or in class. Now I cannot claim to ever being good way to strain your back muscles and end up with low back
at the game, however I did enjoy it a great deal. I know there pain. Warming up is a very easy thing to do, but one that many
are many people around here who also enjoy playing golf and people rush through or skip altogether. Start by stretching the
I thought now would be a good time to talk about how to stay muscles you will be using and emphasize the shoulder, torso,
safe and prevent injuries that can occur while on the course. hip and hamstring muscles. Also, take several gentle swings
with a club at the driving range before hitting the course while
While golf is considered a low-impact sport it can sometimes concentrating on a smooth fluid swing. These things will pre-
lead to injuries. One study showed that from 1990 to 2011, for pare your body for the next 18 holes.
instance, over 660,000 people had to seek emergency treatment
for golf injuries. According to Dr. David E. Stude DC, who While I am by no means a pro, I will offer one bit of advice
has teamed with LPGA pro Lisa Masters, “Back pain is the on your swing mechanics as it applies to back pain. Research
most common physical complaint among professional and rec- shows that shortening your backswing may reduce trunk mus-
reational golfers…”.This is because the mechanics of a golf cle activation and possibly prevent back injury and pain.
swing create significant force coupled with rotation in the low
back area. This force on the spine can be as great as eight times Surprisingly one cause of many golfers back pain has nothing
your body weight. This is especially problematic for senior to do with their swing at all. A fully loaded golf bag with 14
golfers who usually have decreased flexibility and strength, but irons, several woods, a dozen balls, and multiple accessories
can affect golfers of any age. Several things can be done to can weigh quite a bit. If this bulk is lifted without proper tech-
avoid this problem for you in the future. nique multiple times during a round one can see how this may

Page 16 Robeson Living ~ Summer 2022