YOU'RE INJURED, NOW WHAT? REHABING THE ACUTE GOLF INJURY
Bob Forman
Director, The Golf Fitness Academy
Certified Golf Fitness Instructor
It has come to my attention that people aren’t really quite sure what to do when an injury occurs and so I feel it warrants some ink. Improper rehabilitation of or neglecting an injury can prolong the healing process and that may equate to a delay in getting back out on the golf course.
Generally, there are two types of injury, acute and chronic. Acute is sudden, like when twisting an ankle on a sunken sprinkler head, while the more nagging chronic injury develops over time and tends to hang around for awhile. Both can limit play, which can be frustrating, and some chronic injuries may stop play all together.
Much of the limitation depends on how severe the injury is and the amount of time you spend rehabilitating the injury. For most of us, that rehab time is minimal if at all.
The Acute Injury
With acute injury the rule of thumb is RICE. . . Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. This should start immediately from the time of the injury and last for a few days. Applying an ice pack immediately to the affected area for about 15 to 20 minutes will help reduce the amount of inflammation, which will in turn help in the recovery process. The more swelling, the longer it will take to heal.
Inflammation is actually the body’s mechanism to prevent further injury, as fluid build-up prevents further movement of the injured body part. In essence, the body is trying to immobilize the injured site. If the inflammation does not go down after a few days, seek medical attention as the injury may be more serious.
When icing, place a thin cloth between your skin and the ice pack as this will help prevent damage to the skin. Hold the ice in place with an ace wrap or similar and try to keep the injured part elevated. Elevation recruits gravity to help move fluid causing the inflammation out of the affected area. Taking an anti-inflammatory, such as Advil if not allergic, will also help control the swelling. (By the way, a bag of frozen peas makes for a good, reusable ice pack. I wouldn't eat the peas afterward, though! Toss the bag when the icing phase is over.)
If the injury is severe, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Otherwise, keep icing it for a few days to keep the inflammation down. If applying only once, do it at the end of the day when you are ready to settle down, as movement of the injured body part during the day may cause some residual swelling. Again, you want to prevent as much fluid build-up as possible.
After a few days and if the swelling has subsided, begin moist heat. Not dry heat as this will only heat the superficial layer of skin. You want to penetrate deep into the muscle layer or joint and that requires moist heat.
Heat a wet towel in the microwave until tolerably hot and place on the affected area. DO NOT OVERHEAT. Again, you may want to place a thin cloth between you and the source of heat.
Apply the moist heat for up to 20-minutes at a time. This may require you to reheat the towel once or twice as it typically won’t hold the heat that long. Note, there are heating pads you can purchase that allow you to place a wet towel on it. READ THE LABELS to make sure. DO NOT apply a wet towel to a heating pad unless it specifically states it can be used with a wet towel!
Be patient with the rehab process. Don’t expect one or two applications of ice or heat to do the trick. You may have to continue with the moist heat for several days, and probably should. Again, much of the recovery time depends on the severity of the injury and how aggressive you are at the rehab process.
Once the injured body part is free of discomfort, you’ll be able to get back into action, but do it gradually. Don’t rush out the first day and play 18 holes. This is a perfect time to work on that all important short game and/or visit the driving range to hit a small bucket to see how the injured body part will react.
As a preventative measure, ice the injured area for a week or so after hitting the range or playing a round of golf. Just to be on the safe side.
Part II – Chronic Injury
Part III – Mechanism for Golf-Related Injury and How to Correct
Disclaimer – this information is by no means a substitute for sound medical advice/treatment. When an injury occurs, it is wise to seek medical attention.
