Golf Injuries -- Treatment and Prevention
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It goes without saying the best way to treat a golf injury is not to get one in the first place.
There are simple things you can do to prevent yourself from getting hurt. Taking a lesson is the best route for golf injury prevention. The majority of golfers’ aches and pains can be tracked back to an imperfect swing that will put strain on parts of the body that over time will lead to pain. The goal is to ensure you have a smooth swing through the proper arc which will help alleviate a lot of strains without costing you accuracy or distance.
Almost every fitness and medical expert will recommend stretching, strength training, and proper warm up as the best method for injury prevention. Getting a fitness routine started will help in correcting muscle imbalances before they hurt you and by reducing the risk of injury.
You also need to be able to recognize an injury and know what to do about them when they arrive. The first rule of any physical activity is to stop if it hurts. You must use your own judgment in deciding whether you are just experiencing sore muscles or something more serious. If it hurts so much it prevents you from swinging normally, that is a pretty good indication that you should put the club down.
Take a week or two off the course to give the injured area complete rest. On your first visit back take a few practice swings. If you are able to swing pain free, start hitting some golf balls. Start with a view easy short irons and work your way up. Go home after this short workout and sleep on it.
If you are still pain free the following day, go ahead and try to play. If the pain returns at any point in the process, stop and consult a doctor. Most golf injuries are not serious and can be fixed with basic sports medicine treatment. This would include rest, ice or heat packs, immobilization, anti-inflammatory drugs, and stretching and strengthening. Your doctor will determine the combination of these steps to assist in your recovery.
The most common areas for injury include the shoulder, back, elbow, and wrist. It will come as no surprise to anyone who has swung a club that the most frequent area of pain is in the lower back. The twists and turns of the full golf swing puts a lot of strain on the lower back. This is especially so if you have muscle imbalance and poor posture. If you have experienced lower back pain try to shorten your backswing to cut down on the difference between your hip and shoulder turn.
After a bad back, the next most common golf injury is the elbow. You have heard of tennis elbow, but she may not have heard of golf elbow. Golf elbow is the inflammation of the tendons on the inside of the elbow. This comes from either over rotating your wrists throughout the swing instead of just prior and just after contact, gripping the club too tightly, or the simple repetition from the impact of hitting the ball and the ground. Improving your swing so as to make more pure contact should prevent this injury. A forearm brace, the type used for tennis elbow, usually relieves the pain. Larger grips also will cut down on wrist rotation.
Shoulder pain follows as the third most common golf injury. The stress caused by the range of motion during the swing may cause some forms of tendonitis through to rotator cuff tears. The best way to keep your shoulder healthy is to make sure that your muscles are strong. Always warm up your shoulders well and stretch prior to play.
Last are the wrists and hands which must absorb the impact during the swing. Both the quick rotation and the impacts can cause injuries to tendons and muscles in the hands. Snapping your wrists too early within the swaying can also cause an injury. Most often equipment changes or better golf form can help.
Good swing mechanics and proper training will cut down on the frequency and severity of golf injuries.
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