Approximately 60 million people around the world play golf, sometimes into their 80s and 90s. This is great news, because the sport has many health and well being benefits. The
problem, though, is despite its perception as a low-impact sport, golf can be very demanding. It requires strength, endurance, explosive power, flexibility and athletic ability to perform movement that produces some of the fastest club head and ball speeds of any sport. The golf swing produces average compressive loads on the back equivalent to 8 times your body weight; in comparison, running produces spinal compression forces equal to approximately 3 times your body weight. The effect of these repeated large forces on your body can lead to pain and injury.
Low back pain is by far the most common problem experienced by golfers. It accounts for over a third of all golfing injuries and happens to players regardless of age or ability. The lower back is often the source of pain, but rarely the cause of pain. The leading cause of pain is poor swing mechanics associated with a lack of mobility in the ankles, hips, thoracic spine and shoulders. These issues result in the lower back being over-stressed and eventually breaking down. When your back does breakdown, you could experience one of the following injuries:
Muscle Strain or Ligamentous Sprain
A muscle strain, or “pulled muscle,” and an injured ligament will usually resolve itself in 2-4 weeks. Symptoms may range from a minor ache to a sharp debilitating pain. Most sprains and strains are localised in the lower back region, meaning pain does not radiate into the buttocks or leg.
Disc Injury
The lumbar intervertebral disc acts as a spacer between adjacent vertebrae and works as a shock absorber. If excessive or abnormal stressors are placed on the disc, tears can occur, and the inner jelly-like substance can bulge out of the disc or even rupture the disc. Discs degenerate with age and lose their shock absorbing ability. Disc problems can irritate or compress spinal nerves causing pain, often radiating pain into the buttocks or the leg (sciatica).
Altered Joint Mechanics or Motor Control
The brain can completely change the lumbar spine’s ability to move just by changing which muscles are fi ring and in what order. This can occur in the absence of any visible injury. These altered motor control or joint mechanics can begin as a protective mechanism, but can lead to chronic problems over time.
Degenerative Arthritis
With over-use, abuse or ageing, spinal joints can become arthritic. Bone spurs and osteophytes can develop. Stenosis, the narrowing of the canal that houses the spinal nerves, is a very common problem with arthritic changes.
Bone Fracture
Stress fractures and pedicle fractures (spondylolysis) are common problems seen in the lumbar spines of rotational athletes. To avoid these injuries, good body mechanics should be one of your top priorities when playing golf. Proper posture, balance, flexibility, and strength work together to support a good swing and correct golf stance. Below, we’ll discuss moredetails to help you protect your lower back.
Check out next month’s post to see what can be done to help with these issues!
