Enjoy Your Golf Without Back Pain
Many golfers strain their backs. There are several reasons, including cold muscles (no warm ups), weak core muscles, poor posture and sitting in the golf cart too much. Here are some things you can do to keep swinging your clubs without hurting your back.
Warm up Hitting a golf ball full force is a fairly explosive move which is likely to strain your lower back muscles (amongst others) if you havent warmed up. You wouldnt think of doing a sudden sprint without at least a few stretches and running on the spot to warm your muscles up. So why should golf be any different? If you get up and tee off at 7 in morning with no stretches or warm ups and let rip with your newest and greatest club, you could easily sprain the lower back muscles. Do at least 2 stretches-your shoulders and hamstrings. After the two stretches detailed below, do some light twisting from side to side. Do a few slow swings of the golf club. You should then be ready to play.
Hamstring stretch The muscles running down the back of your legs-the hamstrings, are important to stretch. This is because the hamstrings are attached to the pelvis and they pull on the pelvis if they are tight. If you loosen your hamstring muscles by stretching them, this will prevent them pulling on your pelvis and thus prevent lower back strain. Here is a simple standing hamstring stretch: Step forward with your right foot. Straighten the right leg t. You can bend the back leg (left leg) slightly. Bend forward from the hips, then grab your right ankle or right shin. You will feel a stretch down the right leg. Hold this stretch for about 15 seconds. Now stretch the left side
Shoulder stretch Any swinging action like swinging at a golf ball uses your shoulder muscles. Just like your hamstrings, tight or cold shoulder muscles dont respond well to sudden movements. Put your right hand at the back of your neck, between the shoulder blades, pointing the elbow upwards. Hold your right elbow with your left hand and gently pull. You will feel a stretch in the right shoulder. Hold this stretch for 15 seconds. Repeat on the left side.
Good Posture If you bend your back when you pick up the ball or your golf bag, the repeated action over a few hours can strain your back muscles. Dont bend your back. Bend your knees. Let your leg muscles take the weight of the bag and not your back.
Strengthen your abdominal muscles. Do 5-10 minutes a day of strengthening exercises. Choose crunches rather than sit-ups as sit-ups will strain your back if you are not used to exercising. Perform 10 repetitions to start with and increase this each week. Also choose a stability exercise, like the plank. Time yourself and try to improve the time you spend in the position each week.
Dont sit in the cart all day Golfers need to get out of the cart and walk some of the time-you have less chance of back strain. Walking exercises muscles that otherwise remain stiff if youre sitting. For example, walking exercises your hamstrings, which, as we said, can affect your back if theyre stiff. Walk half the course. Enjoy your golf!
Build your Back, Beat the Pain is a step-by-step plan that anyone can follow to stretch and strengthen key muscles to prevent back pain.