Are you doing a tee box warm-up before hitting the course?
If you’re not, you should be.
In their lifetime, 67.7% of golfers experience a golf-specific injury(1) and the types of injuries reported often impact daily activities like walking and sitting(2).
Before you tee off, help prevent injury by performing this simple tee box warm-up.
ANATOMY OF A GOLF SWING
It’s estimated that of all reported injuries golfers experience, low back pain is the most common.
Many of these low back injuries can be prevented by ensuring the body is moving properly during our golf swing(1).
Surprisingly, many golf-related back injuries are not caused by dysfunction of the back.
The hips are the “driver” of the golf swing. If the hips are not moving properly, our low back compensates to provide enough rotation for us to hit a golf ball — which can lead to low back pain and injury.
Knowing where rotation in the golf swing is coming from is essential to understanding how a proper tee box warm-up can prevent low back pain in golfers.
WHY WARMING UP IS IMPORTANT
A good warm-up will do many things for our body before we participate in any sport, including increasing blood flow to our muscles(3).
Along with increasing blood flow, a proper warm-up prepares our muscles to move in a way specific to our sport. If the muscles and joints in our body are not prepared to move properly, their risk of injury is greater.
Golf is an explosive sport and requires a lot of moving pieces, therefore introducing the body to these movements prior to teeing off is essential in preventing injury.
As it relates to golf, waking up the muscles around the hips with a good tee box warm-up will encourage you to use them throughout your round(3).
As mentioned before, the hips are our major rotators. If some of the muscles in the front of the hip are not moving as well as we would like them to, the hips will not be able to rotate to their potential. This will cause unneeded stress on the low back.
Stretching of the hips should occur more than just prior to starting a round. Many golfers who are using carts are at risk for developing tight hips during the round due to sitting(3).
SUMMING UP
As you can see, a proper tee box warm-up prior to golfing can reduce the risk of injury, especially in our low back.
In many cases, back injuries in golf are not a result of a back-related issue but can stem from an inability of the hips to allow for the rotation and explosion needed in a golf swing.
Warming up will increase blood flow to our muscles and prepare them for movement, while also allowing our joints to move in a proper flow with each other and limit compensation — especially in the low back.
References
(1) Sports Injury Statistics Suggest: Golf is More Dangerous than Rugby. Golfsupport Blog. https://golfsupport.com/blog/sports-related-injuries-golf-more-dangerous-than-rugby/. Published July 18, 2018. Accessed June 9, 2019.
(2) Reinhardt G. The Role of Decreased Hip IR as a Cause of Low Back Pain in a Golfer: a Case Report. HSS J. 2013;9(3):278–283. doi:10.1007/s11420-013-9353-9.
(3) Sherman, C. A., & Finch, C. F. (2000). Preventing injuries to competitive and recreational adult golfers: what is the evidence?. Journal of science and medicine in sport, 3(1), 65-78.
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