Why Do Golfers Suffer From Back Pain?
There seems to be a constant them with golfers I work on. Most of them will complain of low back pain or back stiffness. Many are using lotions, braces, changing their shoes, and even injections, just to keep playing golf. One question you may ask is, if it hurts your back why play? The better question is, Why do Golfers suffer from back pain? What is amazing is how many people take over the counter pain relievers hoping to prevent the pain, or slow it down later.
What Causes Back Pain?
You can either sit on the floor or in a hard-backed chair. I prefer you on the floor, but if you cannot, then use the chair. when sitting on the floor, make sure your hips and back are flush against the wall to prevent you from leaning back. Place one leg out in front as flat to the floor as possible. Place the strap around the ball of your foot and gently pull your toes back towards you.
Most golf pros and physicians will say, it the rotation of the back during the swing, and some golfers over-swing trying to get more distance. That is partially true. When we think about the mechanics of the golf swing, the goal is to rotate the hips enough to create a lot of clubhead speed as the club hits the ball. The more you can do this, the farther you can hit the ball. The mistake is the focus only on the hips. A golfer wears golf shoes with rubber spikes. In the old days, they were metal spikes and that created even more back pain because the spikes grip the ground preventing the feet from sliding. This is where back pain begins. It is not the shoes though, it is the flexibility of ankles.
Hip rotation is not just the hips, because it starts in the ankles. The shoes are doing their job, but if the ankles are stiff, it will take more effort from the little muscles in the hips to rotate the body. The calves, therefore, is the key to a great golf swing. There are four muscles in the calf that control the foot vertically, laterally, and allow the foot to rotate. Calves work with the three hamstring muscles above the knee and they work with rotation muscles in the hip. When all these muscle groups work together, the golfer can hit the ball correctly and get better distance on the ball. Why do golfers suffer from back pain? Tight calves are where it all begins.
How Can I Improve my Calf Flexibility?
When I talk about stretching the calves, most people can’t wait to tell me how much they love stretching their calves, then show me how they do it. I let them because I want to see what people are doing with their calves. There a few calf stretches that 98% of the population does consistently. Here they are:
These have all been taught for years to everyone in every school, gym, or training sessions. Sadly, none of these people have stretched all of their calves and very little stretching has been done on any of the muscles.
The best way to stretch all four calf muscles so you can get the most out of the rotation is with a yoga strap, rope, or anything that is not stretchy. A stretchy band was designed for strength training, not stretching. It takes about 10 minutes twice a day and I would recommend doing it in the morning and before bed because, before bed will help with leg cramps while you are sleeping.
Let me caution you here. Don’t pull so hard that your heel comes up off the floor. While this is great for your biceps, it will do nothing for your calves. Remember we are not trying to pull your foot off, just stretch the calf. As you gently pull the toes back, breathe out, and let the calf muscles relax. If you pull too hard, there will be too much pain. If you hold for more than 5 seconds, there will be too much pain. Just hold the stretch for 5 seconds and repeat 10 times.
Next rotate the foot inward, and repeat the same stretch. This will stretch the outside calf muscle. It is important to remember to hold the stretch for 5 seconds and repeat it 10 times. Finally, rotate the foot outward to stretch the inner calf muscle. Again hold for 5 seconds and repeat 10 times. You can see videos of these stretches at https://www.youtube.com/musclerepairshop.
Check my blog posts at https://musclerepairshop.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=1197&action=edit.
Conclusion
Keep in mind that this is only the beginning of improving your rotation on the ball. Once you free up the calves, the next thing is free up the hamstrings as they work with the calves to free up the rotation in your hips. You can get these stretches and many more at https://www.musclerepairshop.com. This is a step-by-step process that should include a good diet to reduce stomach fat as well. I will speak more about how to trim off the excess weight, especially around the middle in a future post. As a golfer, the less stomach fat you have, the less stress your back will feel.
