Golfing And Back Pain: How To Treat Your Pain And Continue Your Love Of The Game
When you are an avid golfer, whether you compete in leagues or just enjoy a good game on the weekends, you know that it can be a lot more strenuous on the body than many onlookers would think. In fact, back pain is a common complaint among golfers, and back injuries can and do occur amongst even professional golfers. Get to know some of the ways to properly treat golf-related back pain and injuries so that you can continue participating in your beloved sport.
Get Professional Training For Your Swing
Much of the time, a person who experiences back pain when golfing (or after the fact) does so because of their golf swing. If a person's body mechanics and motions are unbalanced, even just a tiny bit, this can place undue strain on the muscles in the back or even cause issues in the spinal column itself.
So, before you head to your family physician in fear that you have a major back injury, try hiring a golf pro to take a look at your swing and technique. They will be able to correct any errors you are making and help to ensure that your way of swinging the club is not the cause of your back pain. Simple adjustments could solve your problem. For instance, according to hititlonger.com, the most common cause of short-distance drives is gripping the club too tightly. Easing back on your grip won't only improve your game, it will ease the tension in your torso, forearms, and wrists.
If you only have minor pain or soreness for a few days after golfing, a professional can help you with your technique. However, if you have chronic or severe pain during and after golfing, you should skip the golf pro and head straight to your family physician for help.
Look For Larger Issues
The repeated motions of golfing paired with a person's genetics, daily life, and other potential strains on their back could cause you to have a bigger issue than just strain from an improper swing. There could be larger issues that require a medical diagnosis and medical treatment.
A chronic ailment among golfers is osteoarthritis in the spine. Osteoarthritis in the spine involves the disintegration and breakdown of cartilage in the discs and joints in the spinal column, specifically in the neck and lower back. This condition also involves the growth of bone spurs that pinch nerves causing sharp pain and a great deal of chronic discomfort.
The disintegration of the discs in the spine can be treated with a surgery known as spinal fusion. In this procedure, a surgeon removes a portion of bone from the pelvic bone (or uses a tissue donor) that is placed joining two or more spinal discs together. A metal rod is also placed for stability. The bone that is grafted onto the two discs will grow and fully fuse the discs together stabilizing the spine and preventing discs from slipping out of place.
Other issues that come along with golf can include a muscle sprain or strain, a slipped disc, or even a bone fracture. Heading to the doctor, like Gulf Shores Family Medicine, and/or a spinal specialist will help you to determine the exact cause of the issue and get the treatment that you need to keep you out on the course.
So, if you are experiencing back pain after your golf game, take these important steps to determine the underlying cause of your back pain. The sooner you do, the sooner you can get back out to the green.