Top 3 Most Common Golf Injuries
and Warmups to Prevent them

Hip/Lower Back Pain

Hip and Lower back pain is one of the most common and debilitating injuries.Sacroiliac joint dysfunction is a commonly overlooked source of lower back problems. It can imitate symptoms of other common back injuries, or be a contributing factor to other spinal or extremity issues.

Cause: The repetitive one-sided rotational forces of the golf swing can quickly cause muscle imbalances around the lumbar and pelvis.These muscle imbalances and constant rotational forces can pull the pelvis out of alignment and cause insufficient or excessive movement of the two SI joints.SI joint pain will present itself in the lower back, just above the tailbone.Pain in this area can feel like a sharp pain with certain movements or dull constant ache around the area.

The knees sustain a large amount of torque force and stress during the golf swing.These forces around the knee can lead to acute injuries of the ligaments or muscles as well as chronic degenerative injuries to the cartilage or tendons of the knee.

Cause: Other can degeneration, muscular imbalances around the knee can be a contributing factor to these types of injuries so it is important that a balanced stretch and strengthening program for the knee be done on a regular basis. If the pelvis is not mechanically sound, unnecessary forces can be transmitted to the knee during the golf swing causing pain. Another potential cause of knee pain could be poor mechanics in the feet. When playing a round of golf it is not uncommon to be walking 5-7km. Conditions like flat feet or pes planus can also cause excess stress in the knees. A proper fitting golf shoe is essential to keeping proper alignment of the knee and reduces chances of injury. If necessary, off the shelf or custom insoles may also help to alleviate knee pain.

This is an overuse type of injury that can be felt at any time throughout the golf season, but is most often an issue with increased frequency of training or play. It is often felt as an aching pain and sharp with sudden movements around the inside of the elbow that can also radiate up or down the arm.

Cause: Repetitive gripping of the club and motion around the wrist/elbow in the golf swing. This is a tendonopathy where micro tearing occurs where the tendon meets the bone, inflammation occurs, premature scar builds up, tearing of new granular tissue when stressing tissue before it is completely healed, inflammation occurs and the cycle perpetuates. Shockwave therapy is an aggressive way to break this cycle and help the injury heal.

The therapists at Evolution Sport Therapy are experts in dealing with injuries associated with golf, don’t hesitate to call us to discuss if our treatments can help. Here are some warm ups and stretches that you can do to reduce injuries sustained from golf.

Warm Ups and Stretches to Prevent Your Injuries

Pick up a club and warm up swing with your natural direction continuously for 20 times. Accelerate into your follow through. Next, switch grip so that you are holding the club as if you were swinging the opposite side. So if you are right handed, hold the club as if you were left handed, swing continuously for 20 times accelerating into follow through. This warms up the para spinal muscles on both sides of the lumbar spine and hips .

Kneeling Twist

This stretch does it all! Hip, lower back, mid back and rotator cuff. Kneel onto the ground with one leg forward and one leg back with the golf club behind the neck as shown in the picture, rotate into your front leg using the opposite shoulder and hold stretch 2x for 30 seconds. Switch legs and do the same stretch 2x for 30 seconds. This stretch helps to warm up the muscles of the hip and will help to increase range of motion of the thoracic spine.

Forearm and Elbow Warm Up

Grab the club in the middle of the shaft and rotate the club in clockwise and counter clockwise direction continuously for 20 times. Switch hands and do the same.

Jason Edwards BHK, CAT(C)
Certified Athletic Therapist