Golf is a fantastic sport with many recreational and health benefits, but like most low-impact outdoor sports, it has some affinity for injuries with lower back pain being the top culprit! It isn’t uncommon to hear golfers complaining of lower back pain or other spine-related aches. The good news is, there are tips you can implement to minimize your golfing “woes”. Read on and learn how to stay healthy during golf season!
1. Embrace Chiropractic Care
As earlier stated, golfers are prone to lower back pain which affects optimal performance and overall life quality. Sometimes, it gets so bad that you’d need to take a break from your favorite sport. While a great many professional golfers turn to surgery to relieve unbearable back pain, chiropractic care can alleviate back pain, so you don’t have to go under the knife.
Chiropractic specialists use special techniques to keep the spine in tip-top condition. Golf-associated lower back pain typically stems from spine misalignment. So chiropractic professionals employ techniques like; movement screening, adjustments, range of motion, and active release to prevent spine misalignment and treat existing injuries. That said, you should see a chiropractor regularly to stay healthy during golf season!
2. Always Warm-up before tee time
The vast majority of golfers are always in a hurry to tee! Golfing has an irresistible pull that makes golfers want to charge into the game headfirst without warm-up activities, but this is a grave mistake that is detrimental to your spine health. Yes, your repetitive aches and pain could be eliminated with a simple stretch or warm-up before tee time!
Warming up before golfing is one practice that can maximize your performance output and keep back pain at bay. Plus, it doesn’t eat out of your time or demand intense effort. You can take one or two stretches in the parking lot, and you are good to go! It is that easy and simple!
3. Practice Healthy Swinging
A golf swing is instrumental to optimum ball flight and demands lower back manipulation to achieve this goal. If you swing the wrong way, your lower back will retaliate, causing you pain and discomfort. Hence, you need to keep your swings smooth and consistent for healthy and pain-free golfing!
You can attain a healthy swing balance by bending your knees and keeping your feet (shoulder-width) apart. Keep your spine straight and bend your hips forward. Focus on distributing your weight evenly. Practice this with every swing, and lower back pain will be a thing of the past.
The Takeaway
It is quite easy to stay healthy and injury-free while golfing — simply adopt these tips, and you will enjoy a healthy and pain-free golfing experience. Don’t forget to stay hydrated, use sunscreen and wear standard golfing shoes as well. Hydration ensures the smooth functioning of your body systems; sunscreen protects your skin against the harmful rays of the sun, while standard golfing shoes with short cleats eliminate pressure from your knees as you swing. But most importantly, see a chiropractor as often as you can for optimum spine health!
