Muscle & Fitness discusses golf injury prevention and recovery with guidance from experts including Andrew Paul Creighton, DO, physiatrist at HSS.

Dr. Creighton explained, “The low back, lumbar spine is the first area of injury. In the young, especially in the skeletally immature golfer, the concern is an injury to the bone, particularly the pars bone.”

“As the golfer grows older, a common injury is to the discs of the lumbar spine. Often times, the golfer will hurt with bending, lifting or twisting especially if weight is added,” he continued.

Dr. Creighton said, “As the golfer continues to age, they can develop arthritis of the facet joints of the lumbar spine which again typically hurt with twisting and with the extension of the painful area. Most of the time, injury to the low back occurs as a result of mobility issues in the thoracic spine (at the back of the chest), mid back or mobility issues in the hip. Issues with mobility in the thoracic spine and hip result in more torque and shear force taking place in the lumbar spine, causing injury to the bones, discs and joints.”

“The most common injuries that occur at the elbow are medial and lateral elbow tendinopathies, also known as medial and lateral epicondylitis,” Dr. Creighton explained. “The tendon undergoes change and sometimes has partial tearing as a result of overuse and poor technique. The golfer typically hurts at the prominent bone on the inside or the outside of the elbow and just down the arm from those areas. When looking at the wrist, injuries frequently occur on the inside or outside of the wrist, ulnar and radial side respectively.”

Dr. Creighton advised, “As with any activity, there is likely a point when the golfer is playing too much. However, that point of excessive golf is likely different for each individual. The golfer has likely reached that point once the pain and injury occur. So, it is recommended that the golfer should address this pain and injury and consider taking some time off to allow for recovery. It is important to investigate if there is anything modifiable with their golf swing or golf routine before playing again.”

Read the full article at Muscleandfitness.com.