Improving Your Golf Game

Your body is your most important piece of golf equipment. When a golfer experiences periodic acute, chronic, or piercing pain and discomfort, it can affect his or her game subtly but significantly. Bone and joint pains and aches almost always interfere with your golf swing and may even cause further injuries down the line. Finding and fixing the cause can improve your life generally and lower your golf score as well.

Most people don’t think of golf as a sport that’s plagued by injuries. And of course it's true that golf is much safer than most sports. But studies show that more than 60% of amateur golfers suffer at least one golf-related injury during their playing years. The injury rate is even higher among those over age 50. The most common injuries involve the elbow, lower back, and shoulder.

Golfer’s elbow, showing as pain or tenderness on the inside of the elbow, is usually the result of repetitive arm movement during long practice sessions — especially if you neglect proper warm-ups or your swing mechanics are faulty. In most cases, your OASD physician will recommend rest, ice, and aspirin. Surgery is required only rarely.

Golfer’s back, or pain in the lumbar spine, is related to the rotation and compression stress a good swing naturally produces. But it can also be a sign of another underlying cause — like arthritis or a disc problem — so a thorough physical examination is important for a diagnosis and treatment. In cases where there’s no underlying problem, the doctor may suggest aspirin, and perhaps a brief break from the game.

Golfer’s shoulder is usually the result of a rotator cuff injury, a strain or tear in the muscles around the joint. It may be caused by repetitive overuse, inadequate conditioning, and/or poor swing mechanics. This injury sometimes requires surgical repair.

In all cases, the best treatment is prevention. That means proper conditioning and strength-building exercises, adequate stretching and warm-up before each round or practice session, and moderation in the amount of practice or play you attempt.

But when you do experience a problem, we're here to help you at Orthopaedic Associates of Southern Delaware.