how to protect back during golf swing

These 3 Exercises Will Keep Your Back Safe on the Golf Course

• Planks. For a tour-ready core, we recommend one exercise over all others: the plank. The plank is the grand-daddy of all...
• Seated Rotations. This exercise can help limber up your lumbar spine and keep your back safe as you follow through on...
• Glute Bridges. The glute bridge is not strictly a core or lower...

Full Answer

How to Save Your Back in golf swing?

4 Steps To Save Your Back 1 BACKSWING. The keys to protect your spine on the backswing are maintaining a bent right knee and turning your left shoulder downward ( above, right ). 2 DOWNSWING. Use the ground to create a powerful but safe swing. ... 3 IMPACT. ... 4 FINISH. ...

How do you turn your shoulder down on a golf swing?

Turning your shoulder down uses the mid-back. The lower back should not be twisted. The mid-back is the one that is supposed to rotate, but not the lower back. The straightening of your right knee during the backswing makes the right side of your pelvis move higher compared to the left.

How can I prevent back injuries when playing golf?

Weak lower back muscles usually lead to strains as a result of the intense pressure applied to the muscles from your golf swings. Exercising to build strength that targets lower back muscles can efficiently prevent injuries. Pull-down and rowing exercises are the most recommended forms of exercise here.

Why is it important to practice swinging before playing golf?

It is important to practice swinging before playing golf, as this part of the warm-up routine helps to prevent low back pain. Besides practicing the swing, improving the technique will also prevent injury to the back.

Why does my golf swing hurt my back?

The Golf Swing Stresses the Lower Back The force, torque, and twisting of structures in the lower back creates a significant risk of injury to the lower back. The swing of a golf club naturally involves an incredible amount of force from only one side of the body, unevenly placing pressure on the spine.

How do I change my golf swing so my back doesn't hurt?

7:129:173 Steps To Prevent Back Pain | Golf Swing Mechanics - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipReally. Really important that you shift your weight. And keep your right leg flexed. And facingMoreReally. Really important that you shift your weight. And keep your right leg flexed. And facing forward and then you're going to feel long in your left side if you're a right-handed player.

How do you prevent lower back pain in golf?

To protect your back, maintain a bent right knee and turn your left shoulder downwards on the backswing; squat your lower body slightly during the downswing; shift the vast majority of your weight to your left leg with your shoulder and hips level and turned open upon impact; and thrust your pelvis toward the target ...

How do I strengthen my back for golf?

These 3 Exercises Will Keep Your Back Safe on the Golf CoursePlanks. For a tour-ready core, we recommend one exercise over all others: the plank. ... Seated Rotations. This exercise can help limber up your lumbar spine and keep your back safe as you follow through on every swing. ... Glute Bridges. ... Take Care of Your Spine.

Why does my lower back hurt when I play golf?

Golf is a natural cause for pain By its very nature, the rotational forces of the golf swing create inherent risk to the lumbar spine (lower back). This has been compounded by recent trends in golf instruction that encourage a restriction of hip turn in the backswing in an effort to “coil” for more power.

How do you get rid of back pain from golf?

For relief of the acute pain and to promote healing from golf-related muscle strains and low back pain, it is generally advisable to rest for a day or two, apply heat and/or ice, and take pain medication.

How to protect your spine when golfing?

1. BACKSWING. The keys to protect your spine on the backswing are maintaining a bent right knee and turning your left shoulder downward ( above, right ). Many golfers try to rotate the shoulders level ( above, left ), but turning the left shoulder down lets the thoracic spine (mid-back) and not the lumbar spine (lower back) handle the twisting.

What happens when your knee straightens on the backswing?

If the right knee straightens on the backswing, the right side of the pelvis moves considerably higher than the left, tilting the bottom vertebrae to the left, which puts stress on them. 2. DOWNSWING. Use the ground to create a powerful but safe swing.

How to reduce back stress?

Instead, thrust your pelvis toward the target. This requires the left glute and core muscles to absorb the stress. Push forward and stand up: You should be at your normal standing height at the finish. There'll always be stress on the back, but these tips will reduce the load.

What muscles do you use to jump off the ground?

Your quadriceps (thigh muscles) and glutes (butt) are great power sources, and this squat move uses them and promotes a lateral motion to the left side.

What happens if you don't squat?

If you don't squat, you might turn your hips but you won't move your pelvis forward enough ( above, left ). Then the only way you can get power is to torque your spine. As the club swings down, the torque increases, ramping up the stress level--that means pain. 3. IMPACT.

How to prevent back pain when playing golf?

1. Warm-up before playing golf to prevent low back pain. Going directly to the tee at 7 a.m., pulling out the driver, and then proceeding to try to hit the cover off the ball is probably the surest way to sprain one's back muscles and result in low back pain. Instead, a thorough warm-up before starting to golf—including stretching ...

What is the objective of a golf swing?

The objective of a golf swing is to develop significant clubhead speed, and to do this a lot of torque (force) and torsion (twisting) is applied to the low back. Golfers should emphasize a smooth, rhythmic swing, as this produces less stress and less low back pain (such as minimizing muscular effort and disc and facet joint loading).

Why do you need to bend over to pick up a golf bag?

4. Carrying the golf bag safely to prevent low back pain. Repeated bending over to pick up a golf bag can stress the low back and lead to a muscle strain. An integrated golf bag stand that opens when the bag is set on the ground can eliminate the need to bend over.

How to stretch hips and hamstrings?

The hips may be stretched by pulling the knee to the chest. The hamstrings maybe stretched by bending over and trying to touch the toes. Next, gently swinging a golf club helps warm up the necessary muscle groups and prepares them for the torque (force) and torsion (twisting) that a golf swing produces.

What is the L5-S1 disc space?

The force generated by a golf swing largely stresses the L5-S1 disc space because the joints at this segment allow considerable rotation The other joints in the low back allow more flexion/extension and not as much rotation and are relatively protected. (See also Spinal Anatomy and Back Pain .)

What are the four areas of prevention for the sport of golf?

Four key areas of prevention for the sport of golf include: warm-up, swing, bio-mechanics, and carrying the golf bag. 1.

What muscles do you need to get ready for golf?

First, start with stretching before beginning to play golf. Stretching should emphasize the shoulder, torso, and hip regions as well as the hamstring muscles .

How to relieve back pain from golf?

Relieving Lower Back Pain From a Golf Injury. To relieve the associated pain and stimulate the healing process from injuries related to golf, the advice is to take a rest for a day or two. Apply heat to the affected area and also take pain relief, such as naproxen or ibuprofen, is helpful in reducing inflammation.

Why do you do warm ups before golf?

Golfers who do warmups before golfing suffer fewer injuries as compared to those who do not. When you warm up, flexibility is improved, reducing your limitation on your range of motion. Stiff ligaments and muscles are prone to injury.

What should your knee be in during a downswing?

Your right knee should be maintained in a bent position, and your left shoulder turned downwards during your backswing. Slightly squat the lower body during downswing as you shift the greater majority of the bodyweight to the left leg. The shoulder and level of hips should be turned open on impact.

What is the purpose of a squat?

The muscles of the thigh and the butt are ideal sources of power. Consequently, the squat move uses them to promote a leftward lateral motion.

What are some exercises to strengthen lower back muscles?

Exercising to build strength that targets lower back muscles can efficiently prevent injuries. Pull-down and rowing exercises are the most recommended forms of exercise here.

What is the backswing?

Backswing. To ensure the protection of your spine during the backswing, you are to maintain your right knee bent and turn the left shoulder towards the ground. Turning your shoulder down uses the mid-back. The lower back should not be twisted. The mid-back is the one that is supposed to rotate, but not the lower back.

Can golfers get back pain?

Actually, back pain resulting from golfing activities represents a fifth of all the injuries that are reported by golfers. Though back pain is common, it is not easily avoidable. To mitigate the risk of golfers suffering from golf back injuries, simple precautionary measures can be taken. Here we are going to take a look into a number ...

How to keep your back safe while golfing?

Seated Rotations. This exercise can help limber up your lumbar spine and keep your back safe as you follow through on every swing. Rotation is a key component to a good golf swing, and a good golf swing is integral in protecting your lower back. Sit in a chair or on a bench.

Why is my back hurting in golf?

Repetitive motion, a poor swing and a lack of physical conditioning were the main culprits in golf injury. Golf requires a certain baseline of fitness to keep your body—especially your back—safe, and core strengthening will go a long way to protecting your lower back, also known as the lumbar spine. Contrary to popular belief, the core is more ...

How to do glute bridge?

To perform the glute bridge, lay on your back with your feet flat on the floor, knees pointed up. Squeeze your buttocks and lift it off the floor until you’re making a straight line from the knees, through the thighs and torso to the shoulders. Hold it for a breath or two, then lower back down.

What is the most common golf injury?

A review of studies published in British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that spine injuries —and in particular lower back injuries—were the most common form of golf injury in amateur golfers, accounting for between one-fifth and one-third of all golf injuries. Repetitive motion, a poor swing and a lack of physical conditioning were ...

What is the best core exercise for tour ready?

For a tour-ready core, we recommend one exercise over all others: the plank. The plank is the grand-daddy of all core exercises because it does not load the spine, does not need specialized equipment to perform, can be done almost anywhere and is incredibly safe and effective. Get into the top of a pushup position.

How to get stronger in a squat?

If you’re a beginner, aim for three sets of 10 second holds. As you get stronger, work your way up to 30 seconds each.

How many reps for golf?

Without moving your hips, slowly turn your upper body to the left. Come back through the center and turn to the right. Repeat for 10 reps (left-center-right-center is one rep). Do three sets. This is a great warmup exercise before you start your 9 or 18 holes. You can do it standing up before you tee off.

How to prevent lower back injuries?

3 steps to prevent lower back injuries. 1. Develop as much mobility as you can. It can’t be overstated how important good mobility is for the golf swing, but mobility of your thoracic spine and shoulders is essential for preventing lower back injuries. As Dr. James explains, the more mobility you have in your upper back and shoulders, ...

How does core strength help your back?

Having proper core strength endurance will help stabilize your back as you rotate through your swing, protecting your lower back from injury.

How to wake up glutes?

To wake up your glutes, you’ll need to work on their flexibility and strength. The flexibility will allow you to move well through your swing and the strength will help support and protect your lower back. Try doing clamshells as shown below to build strength in these important muscles.

Why do back injuries occur?

Why back injuries occur. According to Dr. James, back injuries are typically caused by repetitive asymmetrical twisting movements a la the golf swing. The violent repetitive motion combined with whatever genetic predispositions to injury you may have is a recipe for injury. Fitness.

Does Tiger Woods have back problems?

Tiger Woods’ name instantly pops into my mind when I think golf and back injuries, but other big names like Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau have also dealt with back injuries at one point in their careers. All of this to say, back injuries are common among golfers.

Is back injury common in golf?

Lower back injuries are common among golfers. This article was published in partnership with GolfForever. You don’t need to look very far in golf to understand that back injuries are pretty common among golfers. Tiger Woods’ name instantly pops into my mind when I think golf and back injuries, but other big names like Rory McIlroy ...

Is a six pack good for golf?

Having a six pack is nice, but a strong core is far more important to your golf swing than it is for aesthetics. “You need core strength in the golf swing, but you also need core strength endurance,” says Dr. James. “Endurance is the ability to sustain a mild contraction over a long period of time.”.