I Love Golf, But it's Killing My Back!!

Golf is a popular sport and pastime that spans from the casual player to professional. However, among all levels of the sport, one of the most common area of injury is the lower back. A golf swing is essentially a rotation around a column, that column being your spine. The torque, force, and twist required in a golf swing put the player at significant risk for developing lower back pain. Over a long day out on the green, repeatedly swinging to only one side, the asymmetrical movement can cause imbalance and increase complications over time.

How to Prevent Golf Injuries and Lower Back Pain

Ensure good posture before and during your swing, tilting forward at the hips and keeping your back straight.
Avoid golfing for extended periods of time to prevent muscular fatigue.
Supplement golf with core strengthening exercises to reduce muscle strain and aid posture and alignment.
Utilize a bilateral exercise program to avoid muscle imbalances.

How PT Can Help

Physical therapy can provide heat therapy, increasing circulation and reducing inflammation and stiffness in the lower back. Physical therapy will also help correct your swing and posture, which will help reduce strain and avoid future injury. Your therapist will give you exercises to support posture, balance, core stability, and mobility in the rotation and assign exercises to support these goals daily. Therapists will also work directly on the back to loosen the stiffness in the muscle and help remobilize the back and get you back on the green!