Why is back pain so common among golfers? The answer lies in the forces involved in playing the game, and the conditioning (or lack thereof) of many players.
In general, back pain occurs when the muscles in the area are too weak and/or too inflexible to deal with the forces exerted on them. Back pain can either be the result of gradual overload over a period of time, or a sudden and dramatic force on the area.
The key element in golf that affects this area is of course the swing. This is a powerful ballistic movement that twists and shears on the spine, over and over again. Most professional golfers now include regular and extensive exercises to strengthen and increase the flexibility of the core area.
This allows them to cope with the constant forces that playing the game places on their bodies. Recreational players, however, typically do little, or indeed no exercises to strengthen this area.
The lesson from this in simple - if you play golf, then strengthening and improving the flexibility of your core should be something you are doing on a regular basis.
This can either be in the gym, or by joining in class in Pilates or yoga. The choice is yours - either start doing it now and avoid injury, or wait until injury strikes then perform these exercises as rehab!
