Why Do I Have Lower Back Pain After Golf?
Lower back pain is the most common complaint among golfers. Unfortunately, the most critical aspect of your game – your swing – is the primary cause of the pain. The rotational forces of the swing are tough on the lower back, mainly because it’s a one-sided, high-velocity movement you repeat countless times during a game. Such repetition subjects your lower back muscles, tissues, discs, and joints to a heavy workload that causes tightness and pain. Eventually, it can lead to more severe conditions, including bulging discs, herniations, arthritis, and stenosis.
What Are the Sources of Lower Back Pain After Golf?
Your swing isn’t the only thing that causes lower back pain, however. Other causes include:
Failing to stretch/warm-up – Athletes with stiff joints and cold muscles experience more pain and sustain more injuries. A proper pre-game warmup is vital.
Over-swinging – If your body weight is distributed unevenly and your swing isn’t smooth and natural, you’re increasing the strain on your lower back.
Poor posture – Rounding your back is bad form during almost any physical training and doing so makes you more susceptible to injury.
Carrying your bag – Golf bags carried on one shoulder fatigue your muscles and make you unbalanced as you walk between holes.
