Don't ignore pain on the course

(Hamilton Spectator)

Golf has the reputation of a leisure sport and those who haven't tried it might scoff at the notion of the game being physically taxing.

The sight of gently rolling fairways, golfers in colour-coordinated outfits and even those motorized golf carts make golf look, to the non-participant, like an exercise in relaxation.

In fact, golf is like any other sport - it requires a certain level of stamina, strength and flexibility - not to mention skill. After all, you can end up walking between three to five miles, taking at least 100 swings at full power and velocity, and bending over almost as many times.

The most common injuries physiotherapists see are associated with the back, neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist and forearm. Some injured golfers say that as soon as they get into their stance, ready to swing, they start to feel pain in their arms and back. Even just gripping the club can be uncomfortable. Unfortunately too many golfers try to play through injuries.

Pain is a warning system - it's there to alert us to developing problems, which may become serious if ignored. In golf, pain can be caused by a number of factors, but common causes are poor swing mechanics, poor low back stabilization and a simple lack of stretching or warming up beforehand.

We find that even golfers underestimate the physical impact of golf and often don't take the time to fully prepare.

Before you start your round, take 10 minutes to thoroughly warm up by going for a brisk walk, climbing some steps or doing some jumping jacks.

Following the general body warm-up, stretch the key muscles you'll use in your swing: back, hip, groin, hamstring, quadriceps, calves, neck, shoulders and forearms. Remember - be gentle.

Next, gently swing a short iron back and forth. Gradually build up the tempo until you feel loose, then add resistance by gently swinging two clubs at once.