Get Back
Strength training , injury prevention and rehabilitation for the lower back by DAVE POND
ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL GOLF FOUNDATION , almost 25 million American golfers played at least one round of golf last year — great news for a sport that ’ s seemingly pandemic-proof .
But the top reason people didn ’ t play more often wasn ’ t COVID-19-related — year after year , lower back pain is the number one injury that keeps people off the links . It ’ s an expensive issue , too , one that costs Americans at least $ 50 billion in health care costs annually , according to the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research .
“ The best golfers in the world are the ones that can generate large amounts of force through a significant range of motion ,” said Jeffrey N . Lowes , DC , CSCS , who uses his Titleist Performance Institute ( TPI- M3 ) Certification to effectively treat the golfing community and integrate the body swing connection . “ Typically touring pros are injured due to overuse , while recreational amateur players most commonly sustain injuries due to mechanics and lack of proper movement in their golf swing .”
The Titleist Performance Institute ( TPI ) model stands by the principle that there is no one way to swing a golf club , but there is one optimal way for each person to swing based on their physical capabilities . However , injuries do occur .
“ Whether you are moving optimally or you have compensations in your golf swing , it causes tremendous pressure on the lower back ,” he said . “ This repeated stress can lead to things like muscular strains , facet joint injury , lumbar disc irritation , and nerve pain .”
To help reduce the risk of injury and enhance your performance , Lowes recommends a pre-round warmup — one that goes far beyond just hitting a few balls on the range before your round .
“ Most people are not aware that our college and professional golfers spend a minimum of 30 minutes in some sort of gym setting where they focus on three main areas : increasing blood flow to muscles with some
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This exercise hones in on the mid-back mobility needed to rotate in the golf swing while helping you avoid over-rotation of the lower back . Be aware of differences ( from one side to the other ) that might require extra time and breathing .
1 . Laying on your side , with a pillow under your head and your knees together and slightly bent , try and “ open ” your top shoulder rotating as far as you can . 2 . Once your shoulder can not fall any further , remain in that position and take some deep breaths . As you exhale , you should feel your shoulder start to “ melt ” to the ground . Ideally , your hand / arm should be able to fall comfortably to the ground without any stress or strain in your back or hips . 3 . Roll onto your other side and repeat with the other shoulder opening .
form of light cardio , gentle stretching on areas that lack good mobility ( like the hips and thoracic spine ), and dynamic muscle activation to make sure all muscle groups are activated and ready to fully engage when they hit the range to start their ‘ golf swing ’ warmup ,” said Lowes , founder of Lynchburg ’ s Virginia Sport & Spine Institute .
Core , pelvis , and lower back strength are critical for all aspects of golf . Unfortunately , golfers intentionally ( or , many times , unintentionally ) try to swing in ways that we believe are optimal , although our body disagrees . These attempts to swing outside our bodies ’ capabilities cause compensations , which lead to pain and injury .
Enhancing your overall fitness level will go a long way to preventing on-course injury , mirroring a movement that ’ s taking place in the upper echelons of professional golf .
“ The best players in the world are placing much more emphasis on body preparation , which includes stretching , soft tissue work ( such as massage , foam rolling , cupping , and massage guns ), and resistance training workouts ,” he said . “ Not only will this allow you to hit the ball farther and be more efficient , but it also allows your joints and tissues to be more resilient and better handle the repetitive stresses we endure in each round .”
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