WHY LOW BACK INJURY REMAINS #1 AMONG GOLFERS
Bob Forman
Certified Golf Fitness Instructor
MS, Exercise Physiology
There are two main reasons why almost 40% of amateur golfers experience chronic low back discomfort and/or acute injury. The first is technical in nature and the other has to do with muscular deficiencies.
From a technique perspective, there are several very common swing faults that can bring on low back issues. First and foremost is reverse spine or a leaning of the upper body back toward the target during the backswing. Not only does this fault not place the golfer in a good hitting position to initiate the downswing in the proper hitting sequence, causing the upper body to dominate the swing, it often times leads up to low back issues.
A close second is early extension or a moving of the hips toward the ball usually during the downswing. As this occurs it traps or blocks the golfer’s hands and arms behind him usually causing him to push or hook shots. Increased upper back curvature and head lift generally accompany this fault. Stress is usually to the right lower back.
Finally, the S-posture or swaying (arching) of the lower back while at address over the ball places excessive stress to the lower back muscles. This position also will cause the abdominals to relax, which can lead up to reverse spine or loss of spine, impacting the swing sequence. This fault is typically seen more often in women and younger golfers.
Anatomically, irregardless of swing faults, tight hamstrings in the back of the thigh or tight hip flexors in the front of the hip are major factors that contribute to low back discomfort.
Can you touch your toes without bending your knees? Tight hamstrings, which are seen mainly in men, may rotate the hip posteriorly toward the back causing the low back muscles to stretch and become taut. Early signs and symptoms include tightness in the lower back after sitting for a prolonged period of time and/or stiffness the day or two after a round of golf or other physical activity such as raking leaves. More serious consequences cause the discs in the back to wear out quicker, leading up to a nerve impingement from a slipped or bulging disc and/or a narrowing of the space between two vertebrae. The result is sciatica, leg pain, or numbness in the lower extremity.
Tight hip flexors, seen mainly in women, causes the hip to rotate anteriorly toward the front causing an arching or swaying of the lower back. That, as discussed above with S-posture, places excessive stress to the lower back anatomy. More serious consequences are the same as those for tight hamstrings.
Weak glutes, butt muscles, will also play a factor in low back discomfort. Often times the low back muscles will try to compensate for weak glutes placing additional stress on the lower back. Of note, most of the golfers I’ve tested to date do not do well when assessing for glute strength.
Awareness plays an essential role in alleviating and/or eliminating low back discomfort and injury among golfers. Identifying the particular swing faults and muscle deficiencies allows for the development of a personalized exercise program that will isolate and correct the mechanism(s) causing the pain. This, without a doubt, is the key to pain-free golf, regardless of how chronic or acute the condition has been.
Case in point is Bill from Greensboro. An avid golfer, Bill had stopped playing due to pain in his lower back. Upon assessment, among other deficiencies, it was discovered that Bill’s hamstrings were extremely tight and he showed a marked imbalance in his glute strength. A corrective program to isolate these areas has brought Bill relief and he is now back on the golf course. Here’s what he had to say:
I had been experiencing lower right side back pain for a couple of months that was so bad that I was not able to play golf and experienced constant pain. During that period I saw a Chiropractor, Orthopedic , Acupuncturist, and Massage Therapist and nothing helped. I had an evaluation with Bob and he developed a program for me and told me that if I would do the exercises on a regular basis that he felt like it would solve my back problem. I have been doing the exercises every other day for 3 months and not only has my back pain gone away but it has definitely helped my golf game. I live on a farm that requires a lot of physical activity in my daily routine. It is amazing how much more flexible I am now and how much easier my other daily activities are now.
