How Physiotherapy Can Help to Prevent Golf Injuries

While golf may look like a sport that is not that physically demanding, the truth is that it takes a lot of energy to propel golf balls long distances. Your body needs to move suddenly and precisely, twisting from ankle to wrist. Those who enjoy golf regularly have probably experienced various pains, like sprains which take time to recover. How can you avoid minor or major, long-term injuries and protect your ability to play golf? Physiotherapists can help.

While it’s common to only come to a physiotherapist when you have an injury, it’s worthwhile to plan a visit to avoid injuries in the first place. It is much more pleasant to make some changes now that will keep you on the course and make the most of the limited golf season rather than having to take time off to recover from injuries! Here’s how the physiotherapists at Meadowlands Physiotherapy can help you avoid common golf injuries so you can make the most of the season.

Common Golf Injuries

Golf requires a certain set of motions that, depending on your body and your technique, tend to produce specific injuries. These include:

· Golfer’s elbow: This injury causes pain inside the elbow and forearm. It is the result of constantly gripping the club.

· Tennis elbow: Tennis elbow isn’t just for those who play tennis! This injury could develop from your swing, and it causes pain on the outside of your elbow and forearm.

· Rotator cuff strain: The rotator cuff is a collection of muscles and tendons in the shoulder joint. Injury here typically feels like a dull ache in that area.

· Back pain: Standing, walking and swinging can cause you to develop back pain.

· Knee pain: Golfers frequently develop knee pain from their swing.

· Hip strain: The hip is heavily involved in the golf swing and may become injured.

Physiotherapist Support

How can a physiotherapist help you avoid these injuries? Typically, we will focus on the ways that you can properly prepare your body to play golf. Common areas that get injured, like knees and shoulders, can be better protected if you build up the muscles that support them. We can show you where you need to build protective strength.

There are many other recommendations we can make to support your golf game. They might include:

· Dynamic stretches: Preventing injuries is sometimes about the warm-up. Dynamic stretches, where you move in and out of the stretch, are a wise way to warm up many areas of your body that are prone to injury during golf. We can show you how to properly warm-up and target the areas that you are most concerned about.

· Flexibility: Some injuries occur when you ask too much of an inflexible part of your body all at once. We can show you exercises to develop flexibility where you specifically need it.

· Technique: Sometimes your technique makes you more likely to injure yourself. We can show you where to focus your improvement efforts to build a technique that protects your body and improves your game.

Your physiotherapists aren’t just your partners in healing from injury, we are also your partners in preventing an injury in the first place! If you play golf, working with us can keep you healthier and more comfortable to play longer, without interruptions from an injury. Reach out to Meadowlands Physiotherapy to talk about your specific concerns, today!