Golf is considered a low-impact sport but overuse or poor mechanics can still put you at risk of injury. Here are some tips to prevent injury so you can continue to play on the course:
1. Use the correct posture.
When you swing, you need to stand with both feet shoulder-distance apart, and knees slightly bent. Your spine should be straight and trunk tilted slightly forward. Don’t hunch to avoid straining your back and neck.
2. Don’t overswing.
Swinging too fast or too hard can put a lot of stress on your joints. Take an easy and relaxed swing. Remember that in golf you will do some movements repeatedly causing major stress on the same tendons, muscles and joints. An improper swing will eventually lead to injury.
3. Warm up before you start.
Even if you’re just going to practice your swing, you still need to do a proper warm up for 10-15 minutes. Start with jumping jacks or brisk walking, and then stretch your arms, shoulders, elbows, wrists and hands. Then stretch your spine, rotate your pelvis and your knees and feet.
4. If you’re new, start slow.
If you’re a beginner you might be very enthusiastic to learn the sport and be too eager to practice for hours in an effort to improve your swing. However, if your body isn’t ready for the strain or if you have a poor swing (which is common among beginners!) repetitively practicing may do more harm than good.
5. Do some strength training exercises.
The stronger your muscles, the better you’ll be at avoiding injury. For best results, do this year-round, and focus on your shoulders, upper and lower back, and hips.
6. Improve your flexibility.
Strengthening the muscle is not enough. You need to improve your range of motion so you can also improve your swing. Doing yoga or stretching exercises a few times a week can help.
7. Build endurance.
This is important so you will be able to play for hours in courses like Winged Foot country club without overworking your muscles. Aerobic exercises like walking, biking, jogging or swimming can really help.
8. Be careful when lifting and carrying your clubs/golf bags.
Golfers who carry their own bags can potentially injure their back and shoulders.
9. Choose comfortable footwear.
You should dress for comfort as well as for protection from the elements. Short cleats are preferred over long cleats as those tend to dig into the dirt which could put more strain on your ankles and knees.
Aside from preventing injury, you should also protect yourself from other potential dangers such as sunburn, heat exhaustion and dehydration. If you’re not careful, you put yourself at risk of heat stroke which in some cases, is fatal. Before you go to the course, be sure to:
- Put on enough sunscreen (and reapply as needed).
- Wear a hat or visor.
- Wear sunglasses.
Check for the following signs of dehydration or heat stroke:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Weakness
- Nausea
- Rapid heart rate
- Muscle cramps
- Confusion
If you have any of these symptoms, get yourself to a shaded area and drink water. Ask for help and let them know about your symptoms.
For many, golf has become a lifelong passion. Don’t let injuries get in the way of your game by playing smart and taking preventing measures to protect yourself from these golf-related injuries.