If there is one common thread I see in golfers it is that at some time everyone experiences aches and pains as a result of playing golf. Some of the injuries could simply be a result of overuse while some can be sudden trauma injuries, such as hitting a root while swinging.

The other common thread I see in golfers is that most of the time when a golfer gets hurt they will continue to play despite the fact that it is very clear that an injury of some kind has happened. Obviously, the injury will probably become worse without rest, and the player knows this, yet they continue to play.

Why do so many golfers play with aches and pains? Is there anything that can be done to eliminate/reduce the discomfort and accelerate recovery? The answer might surprise you.

Some of the most common golf related injuries:

Lower Back
The golf swing is especially stressful on the lumbar spine (lower back). Injuries in this area can cause inflammation that can put pressure on nerve roots and cause localized pain in the lower back/hip region or can affect the sciatic nerve that runs down the leg.

Bulging disks can also put pressure on nerves and cause chronic or acute pain. This type of injury is especially problematic since it affects you both on and off the course and the golf swing will usually only intensify the injury symptoms. Lower back pain is something I use to know very well. Fortunately, I no longer have any pain.

Left Elbow (Lateral and Medial)
You have probably heard of either "Tennis elbow" or "golfer's elbow". "Tennis elbow" (very common in golfers) is tendonitis in the lateral elbow while "golfer's elbow" (less common injury in golfers) is tendonitis in the medial elbow.

What is the difference between the medial and lateral elbow? Hold your arms out in front of you, palms to the sky. The medial elbow is "inside" (closer to your hips) and the lateral elbow is "outside" (farther from your body).

Why do elbow injuries usually happen in the left elbow? During the downswing your left arm is pulling the club and your right arm is pushing towards the ball. The pulling motion stretches the tendons in the lateral elbow, so your left elbow is much more likely to experience a strain of some kind.

Shoulders
While both shoulders can be injured during the golf swing, it is more common for problems to appear in the right shoulder (for a right handed golfer). This is because the rotator cuff and other muscles of the shoulder complex control the right arm and allow it to rotate back to the top of the swing, stop the arm from moving too far back and then move the arm forward. All this movement in the right shoulder tends to make it more vulnerable to injury than the left shoulder.

So now that we know what the most common golf related injuries are, what can you do to treat these nagging conditions?

• See Your Doctor
  Even if you do not think an injury is serious, if it persists for over a week or gets worse you should go see your doctor. Many time small aches and pains can turn into major problems simply because the injury is not given time to heal or is not treated correctly. Your doctor will be able to evaluate and inform you on your injury and suggest different treatment options that may be available.

• Warm Up And Cool Down
  Warming up is probably one of the easiest and most effective things you can do to not only prevent injury but perform better on the golf course. Pulling from my own experiences, I know that if I skip a warmup and just start playing that I will get quite a bit of tightness and discomfort in my lower back for up to a week. Like they say, prevention is the best medicine and warming is one of the best injury prevention methods out there.

• Listen To Your Body
  If you are dragging yourself through the round because of pain you should not be playing, plain and simple. If you are playing with pain you are aggravating the injury and possibly risking your long term golf career all together. Don’t be a tough guy/girl. Stop playing immediately and go see your doctor.

• Strengthen Your Muscles
  Strengthening the muscles involved in the golf swing is probably one of the best long term strategies for keeping your body and golf game up and running. The shoulders and core region are the two most important regions for most golfers to focus on.

• Take Lessons From A Pro
  If you are having nagging injuries it would probably be a good idea to have your swing checked out by a pro. When your swing gets better you use your body’s natural levels more effectively and cause less overall stress to your joints, ligaments and muscles. Often times making a few minor technical adjustments can significantly reduce the amount of stress your golf swing puts on your body.

• Know Your Limits
  Just as important as exercise is having a proper understanding what kind of swing you're capable of. Understand that you are not a professional golfer. You probably do not have the dynamic strength and flexibility that they do so it would make very little sense to try and copy their swings. Accept your limitations and learn to work with them instead of against them.

• Remember PRICE
  Patience, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation

There is no reason for you to ever be playing with pain. Take care of your body and you will prevent future injuries, recover more quickly from existing injuries and enjoy the game of golf for many years.

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