How to Prevent Golf Injuries
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How to prevent golf injuries? Although golf is a challenging game, it is suitable for people of all ages and activity levels. Golf is an excellent option if you want to enjoy an outdoor activity. You can practice golf skills in an indoor facility when the weather conditions are not favorable.
It is crucial to practice under a seasoned and experienced golf instructor. The purpose is to learn proper golfing techniques and use appropriate clubs to prevent injuries. Experts recommend consistent practicing to learn fundamental skills, such as driving, chipping, and putting. In today’s article, we will answer: how to prevent golf injuries. Read on!
How To Prevent Golf Injuries
Golf can cause poor trunk flexibility, inadequate muscle strength, and other muscle or tissue mechanics flaws. It is crucial to discuss all areas of concern with your health provider, certified golf trainer, physical therapist, and other health professionals before practicing golf.
If you want to prevent musculoskeletal injuries related to golf, you must warm up for at least ten minutes, including movement and stretching. We recommend starting with a walk or jog to increase your body’s temperature and supply more blood to your muscles.
In addition, neck, shoulders, hips, trunk, and ankles pain are common with swinging. That’s why you must ensure controlled movements when practicing golf. We advise stretching any stiff areas for at least one minute.
Take full swings of the golf club without ball contact and start at low velocity. Increase the game speed according to your stamina and muscle flexibility. That way, you can get ready to tee up on the range and improve your driving.
Remember, you can avoid overuse injury by playing with proper techniques. Limit the playing time to ensure your body undergoes the recovery process. Avoid playing golf when your body feels fatigued.
Golf and back pain
Symptoms to watch while playing golf include pain, discomfort, stiffness, swelling, loss of motion, and soreness in the back. Research shows that rotational stresses, repetitive movements, and bent-over posture can cause back pain.
A muscle strain occurs to structures that support the spine. Symptoms include discomfort and pain in the soft tissue of your lower or mid-spine with stiffness and decreased range of motions, especially when you rotate your body.
You can increase the warm-up time to treat mild back pain. Make sure you focus on targeted stretching and shorten the playing period. Stretch more and apply heat and ice therapy every day for at least 20 minutes.
If your symptoms do not improve, you can take medications, such as NSAIDs to relieve back pain. NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen and naproxen, are effective drugs to reduce inflammation and pain in the mid and lower spine.
Tiger Woods Back Pain Treatment
Tiger Woods is one of the most famous golf players who has won many tournaments. Although Woods’ career is full of accomplishments, he has also paid the price of suffering from various golf injuries, including back pain.
Tiger Woods experienced back pain in 2010 when he felt a tingling sensation down his right side. Doctors thought that a herniated disc might have caused the pain. However, they did not confirm it. In 2014, Woods suffered from a herniated disc and underwent a microdiscectomy procedure to treat back pain.
The surgery involved removing a herniated disc in Woods’ spine that compressed a nerve. In 2015, Woods underwent another microdiscectomy surgery to relieve back pain. At that time, Woods had to withdraw from golf tournaments, leading to the disappointment of his fans worldwide.
Moreover, Woods underwent follow-up surgery to stabilize his spine. Although these surgeries were successful, Woods experienced back spasms and sciatic pain within a year. Woods took medications, performed physical therapy, and underwent other conservative treatments to relieve his lower back pain.
However, these treatments did not relieve his lumbar spine pain. Woods discussed the problem with an orthopedic surgeon who recommended him to undergo ALIF surgery. Because Woods already had three surgeries previously from a posterior approach, performing another procedure that way would have led to complications. That’s why Woods’ surgeon performed ALIF surgery to relieve his back pain.
ALIF Surgery at MINT
MINT is the most popular spine clinic in Plano, TX. We have qualified and experienced neurosurgeons who perform spinal surgeries with a minimally invasive technique. We use state-of-the-art tools and instruments to ensure the fusion occurs effectively and quickly after ALIF surgery.
Minimally invasive ALIF procedure offers numerous benefits, such as less blood loss, better cosmetic results, a quick fusion of vertebrae, shorter hospital stays, and reduced post-operative pain. How to prevent golf injuries like back pain? Contact us today!
