Golf
Injuries: The Causes
by
Dr Patrick Erickson
Fact:
the most prevalent injuries to male golfers are low back pain
(53%) followed by elbow pain (24%). The number one injury
to female golfers is low back pain (45%) followed by elbow
pain (27%). 63% of novice golfers are reported to suffer from
back pain at any given time.
Because of the unilateral movement in the golf swing, virtually
every golfer at some point experiences some form of injury
or pain: some chronic, and others acute.
There are three fundamental causes of golf injuries:
- poor
posture
- lack
of flexibility
- poor
swing mechanics
Obviously,
chiropractic care is ideally suited to deal with poor posture.
Lack of flexibility can also be addressed by treatment and
a prescribed stretching program specifically designed around
each golfer’s restrictions. The root cause of poor mechanics
is often a result of a physical restriction or mechanical
dysfunction, which may be alleviated through chiropractic
procedures. As part of our biomechanical golf swing evaluation
we help you identify and reduce your potential injuries from
your current swing habits.
The reason that poor posture, lack of flexibility and poor
swing mechanics cause injury is fairly obvious. On the golf
course, physical exertion is intermittent. A golfer will attempt
approximately 50-70 violent swings every five minutes or so
while playing 18 holes. The average amateur will swing his
club at 80-100 miles per hour. On the driving range the golfer
will flail away at golf balls 60-100 times in an hour. Repetitive
motion over time — like, say, playing and practicing
golf 12 months a year — strains back muscles and also
wears down the spine's ability to act as a shock absorber.
Distressing news, considering that the vertebrae protect the
spinal cord, which makes all human movement possible. The
end result will be some form low back injury. And not even
to mention problems to elbow, shoulders, hips and wrists.
Ligament sprains, muscle strains, tendonitis or bursitis are
all too common.
It’s a shame to witness fellow golfers leave a game
they love because of the pain they experience and don’t
realize there is help. With a comprehensive program of therapy
and conditioning you or your friend could only be a few weeks
away from 18 holes of pain free golf. You can take it from
someone who’s been there. And now I’m here to
tell you that you can do it too.
At CPG
we are dedicated to reducing golf injuries while at the same
time improving your performance.
Reference:
Chek Paul.The Golf Biomechanics Manual: Whole in One Golf
Conditioning. Encinitas,
CA: A Chek Insitute Publication, 1999
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