There’s been a lot of talk about golf here in the office this past week….
Golf season is officially here in the DMV area.
And there is nothing worse than an unexpected injury ruining your season!
Just this week – we’ve had many of our regular clients requesting extra “tune-up” sessions – just to make sure their body is ready for golf.
After working with us for a while, they know that preventing injuries is far easier than rehabilitating injuries…
And the last thing they want is for any kind of pain or injury to get in the way of what can often be a very short golf season around here…
With that said – I thought I’d go over with you some of the most common golf injuries we see and how to avoid them:
1. Elbow Tendonitis
Tendonitis is characterized as painful, inflammation of a tendon. It’s caused by repetitive movements that overload the tendon, eventually causing it to feel strained and overworked.
When it occurs on the inside of your elbow, which is something that happens a lot with golfers… it’s called “golfer’s elbow”.
The treatment is ice and rest initially (which prevents you from playing golf) followed by progressive and proper loading of the tendon to get it back to a healthy state.
This whole process… if done properly… takes time. And it can certainly ruin your golf season if not caught in time.
What causes elbow tendonitis?
Well, technically, it’s inflammation of tendons in your elbow.
But what leads to that in the first place??
Often weakness in your mid-back and shoulders – along with mobility restrictions in your wrists.
Your elbow is significantly influenced by what happens above and below it…
If your mid-back and shoulder area are weak – the rest of your arm won’t feel supported and your elbow can get overworked. If your wrist is tight and immobile – your elbow will be forced to move more than it should – especially through a golf swing.
Any of the above can cause extra stress on your tendons and eventually result in tendonitis.
The best way to prevent this from happening is to make sure you’ve got adequate mobility in your wrists, and good strength in your mid back and shoulders.
2. Back Pain
One of the most common ways to hurt your back is with repetitive flexion (bending) and rotation (twisting).
Well… what does a round of golf consist of over and over…
Repetitive bending and twisting!
Every time you swing that golf club – you’re putting your spine through one of its most stressful positions – and if it’s not prepared – it’s going to get injured.
One of the best ways to prepare your spine for a long and healthy golf season is to avoid a lot of sitting and keep it mobile.
Sitting for prolonged periods makes your back more susceptible to injury in general – but especially if you’re going to be doing a lot of bending and twisting. Interrupting your sitting frequently during the day is a very easy way to minimize the harmful effects of sitting.
Another big problem we see is inadequate mobility in your spine. If you lack mobility – your spine will feel strained every time you try and swing your club. When you over-stress a joint that is stiff, the muscles around it tend to tighten up and spasm in response.
It’s important that you take time to optimize and maintain your best spinal mobility for golf season.
This will significantly help to decrease the stress that occurs in your spine when you swing in one direction repetitively – and ultimately – help you prevent getting a debilitation or season-ending back injury.
3. Knee pain
Between walking 18 holes – and the repetitive twisting that happens at your knee when you swing a golf club – there’s the potential for lots of stress (and injury) through your knee joint.
If you lack adequate mobility or stability in and around your knees… you’re going to have problems.
Much like the elbow, the most common source of knee pain I see in my golfers is from the joints above and below… and not from the knee itself.
To keep your knees mobile and healthy – and prevent them from getting overstressed during golf season – it’s important that you take measures to optimize the strength in your core and hips – as well as stability in your feet and ankles.
The power in your golf swing should come from your hips and core – and not from your knees or back. If they aren’t very strong – your knees will want to try and help – and they are not designed for this…
Your knees need to be loose and free during a golf swing. If not – the muscles and ligaments around your knee joint will take on unwanted stress.
Another cause of unwanted stress to your knee joint is lack of support from your feet and ankles. Your knees need a stable foundation if they want to bend and twist without stress. If stability below is lacking – your knees will tighten up in an effort to compensate.
Moral of the story: make sure you’ve got mobile knees, a strong core and hips, plus stable feet and ankles – so that knee pain doesn’t derail your golf season.
Hopefully these tips help you understand why golf injuries happen and most importantly – how to prevent them.
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Trupti graduated with a Master’s degree in Physical Therapy from UNC- Chapel Hill in 2001. She has furthered her studies with numerous post-graduate courses focusing on the Neck, shoulder, knee, and back, with a strong emphasis in manual therapy. Recently completed courses in Maitland-Australian Physiotherapy Seminars (Levels 1- 5), has afforded her an excellent way to relieve pain and help people get moving, active and healthy quickly and effectively.
With 20+ years of experience in Physical Therapy, Trupti has practiced in various orthopedic and sports focused clinical settings, in both the Raleigh-Durham, NC and DC regions. She has been Director of multiple Physical therapy Clinics in DC and also worked with some renowned specialists at Georgetown University Hospital in DC. During her years of service, Trupti has had the privilege of caring for a wide variety of clients: from school-aged children to retirees; from homemakers to business professionals; from weekend warriors to professional athletes.
Trupti is an avid fan of the outdoors, art, traveling and of course the Tar Heels. She enjoys spending time with her niece and nephew.
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