Golf Injuries on the PGA Tour

Golf Injury Prevention

What are the key areas of injury prevention for golfers?

"Warm up is the first key area that has been addressed. In any sport this is probably one of the most importance aspects of injury prevention - "prepare to succeed, or prepare to fail". Our belief is to really utilize the term warm up, using movements and exercises that are related closely to the golf swing. For example, simple exercises such as overhead squats, hip swings, rotational exercises for the upper torso using bands to get the body moving taking muscles and joints through functional range of movement. Ideally we are trying to wake the nervous system up by firing motor patterns related to the golf swing, so by the time the players reach the range they feel warm like they have been hitting balls for 10 minutes already. When they start hitting balls good motor patterns have been switched on, lessening the likelihood of bad swings and injury due to poor preparation.

Kam Bhabra working with Justin Rose

"Flexibility is another key area in injury prevention, where passive stretching is generally reserved for post play to help normalize muscle and postural tone aiding recovery. However we do stretch passively prior to play, but lightly and only key areas prone to tightness in golfers. These areas working from the ground up include Soleus, Hamstrings, Tensor Fascia Latae and IlioTibial Band, Iliopsoas, short adductors, Piriformis, Quadratus Lumborum, Erector Spinae, Lats, Pectorals, Levator Scapula and upper cervical extensors. The muscles mentioned are pre-dominantly global mobilizers and as Janda (1985) states they are prone to shortness and over activity. Depending on each individual we vary the amount of active and passive involvement during the warm up, some guys prefer to do more passive stretching and others more exercising. My belief is more active preparation and care taken not to over stretch passively, potentially losing feel and power prior to performance.

"Recovery is my next role, using hold-relax stretching and soft tissue mobilization incorporating a variety of techniques to aid myofascial (muscle and fascia) mobility and recovery. As mentioned the whole body in golf is prone to developing tightness and adhesions due to overuse. In particular the spine, pelvis and hips seem to be the area that requires most attention, possibly due to their vital role of connecting the lower body and ground reaction forces to the upper body and the golf club. Hence the need for strong well controlled core, this can be related back to normal movement and the importance of developing control of the central key point (the trunk). Any fine movement of the extremities will be compromised if we do not have this central control, this can be related back to the highly skilled nature and coordination of golf.

"Good posture with core stability, maintaining body alignment and control, will help to balance the flexibility training, as a strong core is essential to help maintain a good spinal angle in the golf swing allowing consistency and control. Working alongside the best golf coaches in the world, one of the first key fundamentals they work on is posture and alignment. This area of injury prevention compliments the basis of their work, encouraging a good platform. Golf is a sport that requires high levels of control and consistency, if the body has good alignment then skilled motor patterns are more easily attainable and repeatable. Much time is spent on teaching good posture and when training this is reinforced encouraging quality of movement."