Let’s face it, golf injuries are the worst.
Sadly, they’re a part of golf (or really any sport that you play) and life. While some injuries are much worse than others and can not only affect your performance on the golf course, but also your quality of life.
While we’re not medical experts by any means, there are certain injuries that golfers are prone to. Since we’re swinging at high rates of speed with a heavy club over and over again, it’s not ideal for the body.
In this post, we’ll give you some pointers on avoiding golf injuries, improving your health for better golf, and a few general treatment ideas too.
Before diving into it, I just want to give a disclaimer that we are NOT medical professionals, don’t work in the sports medicine field, and always recommend seeing a doctor or physical therapist for injuries.
Now that the medical stuff is out of the way, let’s get into some best practices.
Most Common Golf Injuries
As I mentioned in the intro, golfers are prone to certain injuries because swinging a club isn’t ideal for the body.
Think about it, you’re twisting, turning, and rotating with a heavy club at 100+ mph for 4-5 hours every single round. If you play a lot of golf each week, it takes a toll on your body. Plus, when you add in the fact that most people have plenty of imbalances from sitting too much and other unhealthy habits, golf is icing on the cake.
Of course, we’re not recommending you to give up the game. Quite the opposite, we want to give you some ways to avoid these injuries by getting ahead of them.
Golf is hard enough when you’re healthy, but with an injury, it makes the hardest sport ever 10X harder. Just ask Tiger Woods, arguably the greatest player ever, who has dealt with injury after injury (and we’re hoping he can come back from his latest ankle injury too).
Here are some of the most common golf injuries that can interfere with your golf swing. Some just need time to heal and be treated non surgically, while others might need orthopaedic surgeons or other specialists to get back to 100%.
Lower Back Pain (Back Injuries)
The first on our list is here intentional, because most golfers have struggled with a lower back issue on more than one occasion. But as you know, it’s not fun to cope with and can wreak havoc on your game.
Just ask Jason Day or Tiger Woods, who have both had plenty of lower back issues. Lower back pain isn’t just with golfers, either, it’s a global problem.
According to this Georgetown study, “Nearly 65 million Americans report a recent episode of back pain. Some 16 million adults — 8 percent of all adults — experience persistent or chronic back pain, and as a result are limited in certain everyday activities. Back pain is the sixth most costly condition in the United States. Health care costs and indirect costs due to back pain are over $12 billion per year.”
Rotator Cuff Injuries
Another common golf injury happens in the rotator cuff, which plays a big role in your swing. Rotator cuff tendons get a lot of wear and tear on your backswing, plus your downswing. As you constantly take the club back over your head, your outer tendon has considerable pressure on it and plays a major role in your swing.
Too much use or lack of flexibility can lead to torn ligaments, shoulder pain, and other rotational stresses. Avoid these injuries as much as possible, as surgical repair might be needed and might not ever get back to its original flexibility.
Wrist Issues
Golf isn’t great for the wrists either, as you hit down on the turf a lot, which results in a ton of stress on your wrists. Plus, you might have a questionable lie sometimes and might have a root or hard pan under your golf ball. The repetitive blunt trauma of taking divots, plus not so great swing mechanics, can lead to wrist injuries which might require steroid injections to heal properly.
Foot and Ankle Injuries
Power starts from the ground up and golfers spend a ton of time on their feet. This can lead to sprains, tendonitis, and other issues. Plus, if you have a pair of golf shoes that don’t fit right, it can lead to blisters on your front foot or back foot as well.
Knee Pain
Knee pain is another issue from playing a lot of golf. One bent over stance after another isn’t easy on your knees, and easy to see why it’s one of the common golfing injuries.
Tendonitis
While you might have heard of “tennis elbow” a similar injury can happen for golfers (aka golfers elbow).
Some common locations for tendonitis include:
- Elbow tendonitis
- Wrist tendinitis
- Back and shoulder tendonitis
I recently had this in my shoulder and can say it’s no joke. It’s not that painful as much as it is a nagging type of pain that just won’t go away. Sadly, rest isn’t the solution for this injury if it’s past a certain point and you usually need some professional help to get back to 100%.
Neck Injuries
Have you ever taken a deep divot and feel like your neck is instantly tweaked? Don’t worry, you’re not alone, but it’s still a painful condition that makes things a lot more difficult.
Treating Golf Injuries
If you are experiencing symptoms, don’t just avoid the injury and hope that time will do the trick! While time and rest might help, it’s not always the answer.
Here are some ways to treat them quickly.
Ice and Heat
One of the oldest and best ways to recover from any injury is hot and cold therapy. An ice pack and a heat pad can do wonders to speeding up an injury without having to visit a doctor either.
Whether you have knee pain, wrist injuries, tennis elbow, or other elbow injuries, daily ice and heat sessions can help reduce inflammation and pain.
But make sure you use ice or heat at the proper time. Ice is best for newer injuries, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Here’s what they said, “When dealing with injuries, it’s best to predominantly choose ice if the injury is acute (less than 6 weeks old). The chill constricts blood vessels, which numbs pain, relieves inflammation and limits bruising.”
The same article also said this about using heat, “If you’re dealing with lingering injuries (older than 6 weeks) then it’s okay to use heat. The increased blood flow relaxes tight muscles and relieves aching joints. This is especially helpful to improve range of motion on a joint that maybe isn’t moving as well.”
Get Massages
Massages are a great way to help loosen up your forearm muscles and other parts of your body that get the wear and tear from golf.
If you don’t always have the time or money for a professional massage, invest in a massage gun. These handheld devices are a great way to relieve muscle tension whenever you have free time. Whether you wake up sore, after a killer workout or a long day of golf, these are great ways to avoid injuries.
Physical Therapy
If things don’t get better on your own, make sure to visit your doctor or physical therapist. I recently had some nasty back pain that I couldn’t shake on my own. After a visit to a PT, they diagnosed me with tendonitis and gave a clear recovery plan.
Within a few weeks, I was almost 100% and back to working out and golfing pain free. Sometimes it’s hard to put our pride aside and admit we have an injury, but the sooner you get it diagnosed, the sooner you can heal from it.
Life is too short to live in pain!
How to Avoid Injuries in Your Golf Swing
So, how do you avoid injuries as much as possible?
As they say in football, “The best offense is defense.”
That saying applies in regard to avoiding injuries from chasing the white ball.
Here are some best practices to avoid the common list of injuries from above to stay healthy and play this game for a long time.
Warm Up Properly
Possibly one of the best ways to avoid injuries on the golf course is a solid warm up session. So many players get to the course at the last minute, check in, and run to the first tee. This can lead to a myriad of issues and the pro shop won’t be happy either.
To keep the staff and your body happy, make sure you arrive at least 30 minutes before your tee time. If you can get there even earlier, it will not only help you loosen up but you might play better too.
Even if you don’t hit balls, you can still do some basic stretches, swing the club, chip and putt. Or, you can use something like the Orange Whip swing trainer to help your muscles get loose too.
When you have a good warm up, you can get your body loose, hit plenty of shots on the range, and figure out the speed of the greens. Commit to always getting there early so that you can avoid a pointless injury that is caused from not planning ahead.
Improve Your Mechanics
One of the best ways to avoid these most common injuries is to improve your golf swing mechanics. Poor mechanics make the explosive nature of the game much harder on your body.
So make sure you’re working on posture, alignment, tempo, and ball striking on the range. The more you can eliminate improper swing mechanics, the more you can help your body (and score).
Exercise Regularly to Improve Muscle Strength
You don’t have to be an expert in sports medicine to know that exercise is a key to avoiding golf related injuries. Paired with proper swing mechanics, you can avoid traumatic injuries that golfers suffer from and hopefully lead a pain-free life.
Need some inspiration for golf workouts? Check out our full post on workouts for golf here.
Improve Your Nutrition
Professional athletes focus on nutrition, sleep, and recovery as much as they do with practice or exercise. So make sure that you’re not just hitting the gym, but also improving your nutrition too.
A proper diet can help reduce inflammation in the body and make those twisting movements of golf a lot easier. Plus, you will probably have more energy for daily activies as well. Treat your body right, you only get one in this lifetime!
Stretch Regularly to Improve Your Golf Swing
If you ask most people, chances are everyone would say they need to stretch more. It’s kind of like eating healthy and exercising regularly. We know the benefits, but sometimes we can’t make it a habit.
Stretching is no different but can help you avoid injuries as much as anything on this list. When you don’t stretch regularly, your muscles are tight, which can lead to imbalances in your body. These imbalances can be made worse with a golf swing.
Aside from stretching, don’t forget about yoga and foam rolling, either. Both can help loosen your muscles and play your favorite sport pain free.
Go here to read our full article on golf stretches.
Try Out Acupuncture
If you have overuse injuries from hitting too many golf balls, try out acupuncture. It’s great to help with repetitive motions like golf and reduce inflammation in the body.
CBD
CBD is another useful tool for golfers. While it doesn’t prevent injuries like the other ideas before this, it can help manage pain in a shoulder joint, rotator cuff, golfer’s elbow, weak knee, or other pain point.
Prioritize Rest
Finally, don’t forget to rest as well. If you play regularly, sometimes your mind and body need a break to recover from the wear and tear of golf. I’ve found that when I’m playing a lot, it’s also mentally draining as well.
While it’s not always easy to take a break from this addictive game, sometimes it’s just what the doctor ordered. Put the golf club down and read some of our favorite golf books or watch some of our favorite golf movies instead.
Final Thoughts on Common Injuries in Golf
Remember, one of the reasons that millions of people love this game is that you can play it at almost any age. But if you’re constantly fighting your body, it’s going to be nearly impossible to play the sport we all love as long as you might if you had focused on your health.
While no one is immune to getting injured, you want to avoid them as much as possible. Not only for the sake of your golf game, but your overall well-being. As I’m sure you know, there is nothing worse than trying to work, play with your kids, or tee it up when you’re in pain.
Make it a point to start adding some new habits into your life so you can stay healthy as much as possible. Whether it’s working out, stretching, or self-care appointments like a massage or acupuncture, they can all help you avoid injuries. And if and when you find yourself with an injury, use the tips from above to bounce back quickly.
