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By Roslyn Penfold
Low Back Pain (LBP) is a common and potentially costly problem for professional and amateur golfers alike. It often leads to time away from golf, and the subsequent frustrations and expenses of such absences. Research ranks LBP as the most common injury in male professionals and the second most common injury in female professionals. The frequency of LBP amongst amateurs is similar.
LBP is common in many athletic pursuits. The specific causes of LBP in golf has been linked to:
- The golf swing – Asymmetrical in nature
- Repetitive play and practice; I.E ‘overuse’
- Age related changes eg. Limited hip, knee or spine mobility
- The wrong equipment
- Poor warm up and stretching routines
- Individual swing mechanics
- Poor physical conditioning
- Injuries in other regions
Research has lead to an increased focus on improving and maximising the physical conditioning of the golfer. Many professional golfers have taken note of this, and may employ their own physiotherapists and fitness instructors. The result is fitter, stronger and better performing athletes, who have to opportunity to extend their playing career.
The dilemma facing amateur golfers is choosing from the plethora of exercises available. Ideally exercises should be individualised to the golfer’s body type and mechanics and swing mechanics.
If you are currently experiencing LBP we recommend you contact Atlas Sports and Dance Physiotherapy to book an Initial Consultation. During this consult your physiotherapist will be able to identify which factors are specifically linked to your LBP, institute treatment, and make recommendations with respect to exercise and conditioning. Where appropriate your golf professionally can also be contacted. If you do not currently have LBP, but would like to be proactive, book now for a musculoskeletal screening. This way we can identify any potential issues, and assist you in injury prevention.
