Lower back pain and golfers

Research suggests that the incidence of insidious low back pain (LBP) in golfers may occur as a result of factors such as cumulative load from high volume swing practice; lateral shearing forces created on the downswing by trunk side flexion and trunk rotation; an over-rotation of the trunk on the backswing, and /or core muscle dysfunction, to name a few.

Based on the research evidence here are some suggestions that may assist golfers to a speedy recovery from LBP and reduce the risk of injury recurrence:

1. When recovering from LBP be sensible with play/practice volume and take into consideration the stress on the spine that high volume swing practice creates;

2. Focus on bilateral strengthening exercises for the trunk musculature to help manage the asymmetries produced by repetitive golf practice;

3. Using a variety of core exercises to address strength and endurance of spinal stability musculature;

4. Improve trunk rotation/pelvic rotation flexibility to reduce spinal torsion;

5. Improve hip rotation especially on the lead side to reduce force in the lumbar spine on the downswing;

6. Participate in a thorough warm-up prior to playing or practising;

7. Seek professional advice from a properly qualified golf coach to assess your swing mechanics.