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As I grew older, I decided that contact sports were not a good idea anymore, at least not for me to play. They were fine for watching, but I had started to put on a little weight, was taking longer to heal from injuries, and things just seemed to “hurt” more than they used to. So I took up the leisurely sport of golf. “Just the thing for me,” I thought. Old guys play it, no one is trying to knock you down, the pace is much more civilized, and it’s ok to drink a beer or two while playing!
After several years of practicing and playing several times a week, my back hurt all the time, my left wrist ached, my right shoulder was stiff, and it was difficult to reach higher than my head with my right hand. I thought it was just because I was getting older, but when I talked with Jason Ballog, Club Manager at the Palmilla Golf Club. Jason informed me that “57% to 67% of all golfers have these problems during their lifetime.” What I was experiencing was directly related to playing golf. He filled me in on how these injuries were caused, what I could do to help heal from them and prevent them from happening again.
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First off, golf may look like a slow sport, but during the swing, the body may be moving the club at speeds up to 100 mph in one fifth of a second, and be doing this an average of 100 times per round. Add to this an approximate 100 times per round that the ball is teed up, picked up off the green or lifted to be examined, and you can see how this type of repetitive injury is the most likely to occur.
Every muscle in the body is involved while playing golf, but some are more active than others. Since the primary strength of the swing comes from the movement of the body around the spine, the majority of golf injuries (50%) occur in the lower back. Beginning golfers are slightly more prone to lower back injuries due to an inconsistent jerky swing, combined with a lack of body training.
Club head speed is developed in the hips first and then the shoulders, followed by the elbows and wrists. Injury to the shoulders (8-18%) is normally caused by an excessively high back swing, the normal thought process being “the higher I swing my club back, the faster it will be when striking the ball.” Of course, the higher the back swing, the more time there is for errors to occur on the downswing, but the belief that this is a good strategy persists.
Very common among beginning and intermediate players are acute wrist injuries, caused by striking something other than the golf ball while playing, be it a rock in a hazard, very thick grass in the roughs, or just hitting the ball “fat.” Wrist (13-20%) and elbow (25-33%) injuries are common as well, with wrist injuries typically caused by excessive cocking and uncocking of the wrist during play. This usually happens to beginning golfers when they un-cock their wrists too early on the downswing. The movement tends to excessively elongate the soft tissue of the extensor carpiulnaris, or ECU. Elbow injuries are much more common in female golfers than in males. Such injuries are often caused by too much effort being exerted during the swing, causing excessive torque on the elbows in an attempt to get extra distance. In severe pain or injury cases, damaged parts of the body may require surgery. More likely, a few days with an ice bag on the wrist or elbow 20 minutes, four times a day, and resting for several weeks, makes recovery easy. Visiting a golf pro to assist in the swing correction would be the next sensible thing to do.
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In the ranks of the PGA golfers, everyone works out and warms up. However, even Tiger Woods, who has probably one of the best training and warm-up regimes, can incur injuries. Club pros can teach you warm-up methods highly recommended in order to start your game or practice session already relaxed and stretched out. A good teaching pro will demonstrate the exercises needed to strengthen corporal areas that are stressed during the game. Proper warm-up is very important. Taking 15 or 20 minutes before you play gets your muscles stretched out. While not a guarantee that you will play injury free, it will lower the chances by a significant margin. Hopefully, you are already familiar with and are practicing warm-up exercises. If you haven’t already included them as a part of your game, the following are some fundamentals.
Take a club and put it behind your head with a hand on each end, then rotate to the left while standing straight up. Hold the turn for 20 seconds. Repeat the same stretch to the right. Do five repetitions of this, and then repeat it while bent at the waist as if you were getting ready to swing at the ball. For the next warm up, stand as straight as possible, and without tilting you hips, lift one arm up and attempt to reach over the top of your head without touching it. Try to touch your opposite shoulder. Hold this position for 20 seconds and then repeat it with the other arm. Do five repetitions of this exercise. Next, while standing straight, take one arm across your chest; take your other hand and hold the elbow, gently pulling it a bit farther. Hold the position for 20 seconds, and then repeat it on the other arm. Once again, five repetitions are perfect. For the last warm up exercise, do some toe touches, or go at least as far down as your body will allow you, and hold there for 20 seconds. Five repetitions is optimum and will help stretch out your hamstrings and calf muscles. Now that you are warmed up and stretched out, go to the range and hit a few balls to get your mind in shape, then hit the links!
The only way to 100% avoid ever having a golf related injury is to not play the game. However, checking your swing technique, body training, and the pre-game warm up procedure can reduce the risk of injuries. There are more ways to help you join the fortunate group of golfers who have managed to avoid major injuries during the course of their life. The number one method, ranked so by every source for this article, is to take lessons from a PGA professional. A golf pro that is certified by the PGA to teach will help to ensure your techniques are correct. He or she can identify and address problem areas, and curtail as much damage as possible that can be caused by an improper swing. All it may take is a simple swing shift.
CABO DEL SOL
Km. 10.3 Transp. Hwy.
Ph:145-6360; US Ph:1-866-231-4677
Internet: www.cabodelsol.com
CABO REAL GOLF CLUB
Km. 19.5 Transp. Hwy.
Ph:173-9400, Mex:1-877-795-8727; Ph: 01-800-543-2044
Internet: www.questro.com.mx
CABO SAN LUCAS COUNTRY CLUB
Transp. Hwy. Km. 3.7.
Ph:143-4653, 143-4654; Fax:143-5809; US Ph:1-888-328-8501
Internet: www.golfincabo.com
CLUB CAMPESTRE SAN JOSÉ
Km. 119 Airport Toll Road, SJD.
Ph:173-9400; Mex:1-877-795-8727;
Rest of the World: 01-800-543-2044
Internet: www.questro.com.mx
MAYAN RESORTS GOLF
LOS CABOS
Paseo Finisterra #1 with Transp. Hwy. Col. Campo de Golf, SJD.
Ph:142-0905
Internet: www.grupomayangolf.com
PALMILLA GOLF CLUB
Location: Km. 7.5 Transp. Hwy.
Ph:144-5250 Fax:144-5245
Internet:www.oneandonlypalmilla.com
PUERTO LOS CABOS
GOLF CLUB
Paseo de los Pescadores, Pueblo La Playa, San José del Cabo, BCS.
Ph:173-9400, Toll free México, Toll free USA:1877-795-8727; Rest of the World: 01-800-543-2044
Internet: www.questro.com.mx
By George Landrum
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Copyright © 2010 - Joseph A. Tyson - All Rights Reserved - www.loscabosmagazine.com
Los Cabos Magazines, Inc - Tyson Promotions, Inc - Promociones Tyson, S. A. de C. V.
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico - Last Revision - January 28, 2009 - fap
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