The Most Common Golf Injuries

Golf appears to have the reputation of being one of the less strenuous sports out there, and one that can be played by pretty much anybody, no matter how old or what body type and level of fitness you are.

And in some ways that’s true. Being a good golfer is like most other sports in the sense that it relies heavily on technique and that you won’t get very far without putting a lot of practice in, but you are unlikely to be limited by your age and level of fitness.

With that said, golf  doesn’t come without risks and potential for injury. And because it is played by so many seniors, whose bodies are more injury-prone and worn-down over time, these potential injuries can’t be ignored. 

Let’s look at a few of the most commonly affected areas:

Wrists

Your wrists are constantly in use when you’re playing golf. Your swinging is high speed, high impact and repetitive, meaning that you are constantly twisting and moving your wrists in such a way that is likely to cause strain.

The specific wrist problem that most golfers end up dealing with is tendinitis. This being an issue of inflammation in your tendons due to constant use and fatigue. The tendons in our wrists aren’t used to that sort of movement on a daily basis and can become inflamed over time.

The best way to avoid that is to practice some wrist exercises while you’re not golfing to build up your strength. 

Knees

Much like your wrists, your knees are constantly being put to use when playing golf. You need your knees to stabilize yourself while your hips are rotating during your swing, meaning that you’re putting a lot of pressure on them.

This is fine if you’ve got strong knees that are up to the task of holding all of that weight, but knees are a difficult area to build strength in, and for a lot of us the pressure of stabilizing a golf swing is hard on them and can cause pain and inflammation.

In some cases, golfers will experience torn ligaments as a consequence of knee strain. Being sure to stretch your legs and knees before and after you play can help you build up the necessary strength.

Back

The likelihood of back pain is pretty high, and it’s not hard to see why that’s the case. You spend a lot of time leaning over in a less than desirable position. The thing about back pain is that it is most definitely not a problem that’s exclusive to golfers.

Most of us will experience back pain at some point in our lives, and more often than not, it has to do with our posture. So for golfers, there’s an even greater possibility due to the constant bent-over stance.

And on top of that, there’s also the swinging which is tough on your spine and your back muscles. And much like your wrists and your knees, stretching is key to prevention and control. Do some back stretches before every round and you should be able to minimize your pain.

Rotator Cuff

If you’re unfamiliar with this group of muscles, it surrounds your shoulder joint and is instrumental in any rotation of your arm; A movement which is an essential part of golf and thus, an area prone to strain and inflammation.

If you’re experiencing a lot of pain or perhaps even some torn tendons or muscles in this area, you will be physically incapable of swinging. Try to build up the muscles by regularly doing shoulder exercises which should prevent any significant damage.

To sum things up, golf can cause pain in a number of different areas, but most of it is easily avoided if you focus your stretching and your strength training on these specific areas. The older you get, the more important this is so that you can continue to enjoy golf for as long as you want.  

And in addition to those all-important stretches, our Posture Pump® Neck & Back Disc Hydrators® are great for easing pain in your neck and back caused by your leaning golf stance. Check out our full line of products today!