What Is Golfing Fatigue And The Cause For Lower Back Pain?

Joining A Fitness Club Is A Very Good Solution To Stregthening Your Core Muscles And Eliminating Lower Back Pain!

As we are now entering into the early part of springtime here in the Northeast.  Most of us golfers have played a few early rounds, and have felt the fatigue that comes with swinging the golf club after a long winter away from the golf game. Most golfers will feel some discomfort in various parts of their body.  Amateur golfers, especially seniors will experience chronic lower back pain that will limit the amount of golf they can play in the beginning.

Fatigue often becomes a major foe for most golfers wanting to play. You may not realize it, but those errant tee shots, off target approach shots, doffed chip shots, and missed putts may not all be the result of just bad golf swing mechanics. They have a lot to do with the fact that the four plus hours swinging a golf club in the fresh outdoor air is wearing you down a lot.  Execution becomes the main issue. We all know being off just a little bit on any golf shot can have definite negative consequences. When the body gets just a little tired, the potential for your playing performance to suffer increases as does the risk for injuries.

Any amount of fatigue will not bode well for swing efficiency and overall playing performance. All aspects of your golf game will be impacted from tee to green. Walking the golf course will obviously have more of an impact to the fatigue factor, but you still will challenge the body even when taking a golf cart. It adds up when you consider the amount of time on your feet walking up and down inclines, in and out of traps,  around greens and tee boxes. Cart paths only on days when the golf course is wet, will only add to the total energy drain.

As injury potential increases due to fatigue it is often the prerequisite for injury. It’s when the body becomes exhausted that you’re setting yourself up for musculoskeletal trauma, especially in an explosive, repetitive sport like golf. Besides the ordinary discomfort, pains and strains, it can lead to more muscular deficiencies. Such as lower back problems, cardiovascular trouble, abdominal strains(core muscles), weak glutes, tight hamstrings in the back of the thigh or tight hip flexors in the front of the hip are major factors that contribute to lower back pain.

Keeping the cardiovascular system intact will push back the fatigue threshold, allowing the golfer to play through the round, minimizing the fatigue-related bad shots and other consequences. A lot of the focus in golf fitness programs is on stretching, strength training, speed and balance for better golf. They are all are necessary for improving your overall body conditioning, but not worth a whole lot if you happen to get a little tired while playing the back nine. Especially if you combine that with a repeated golf swing.  It becomes blatantly obvious how the cumulative effect can quickly zap a golfer for the rest of the golf round.

The bottom line is that cardio should be made a part of your total golf fitness program. It’ll keep you fresh throughout the entire round and benefit not only your game and playing satisfaction, but your health as well. You may also want to check-in with a knowledgeable exercise specialist. They can calculate out a training heart rate, also known as a Target Heart Rate. It will provide for a safe, productive exercise intensity for your cardio program. A simple rule of thumb, if you’re too winded to carry on a conversation during the exercise, the intensity is too high.

Brisk walking is a great cardiovascular exercise for golf, as walking is what you’ll be doing out on the golf course. Work up to at least 30 minutes a day and try to get in at least 3 to 4 days each week. Make sure to wear a good pair of running shoes that will provide adequate support for your type of feet. A good store will be able to look at your feet and make recommendations as to what type (motion control, stability, or cushioning) of shoe is appropriate for you. Wearing improper foot wear can lead to both acute and chronic pain in the ankles, knees, hips, back, and so on up the chain.  Something most people don’t even consider when trying to isolate the source of their discomfort and pain.

Can you touch your toes without bending your knees? Tight hamstrings which are seen mainly in men, may rotate the hip posterity toward the back causing the lower back muscles to stretch and become taut.  Early warning signs and symptoms include tightness in the lower back after sitting for a prolonged period of time, or stiffness the day or two after playing a round of golf, or other physical activity such as raking leaves. More serious consequences causes the discs in the back to wear out quicker, which leads to a nerve impingement from a slipped or bulging disc. Causing a narrowing of the space between the two vertebrae. The result is sciatica, leg pain or numbness in the lower extremity.

It’s never too late to learn good posture. Most of us were raised on the principle of having good posture. Being constantly told to sit-up straight, and when walking you must have your back straight and not be leaning forward. In golf it’s the same thing,in order to improve your golf swing, you must have the basic fundamentals in place. Having good posture is one of those requisites.

The Stand Taller~Live Longer 7-week program will strengthen your posture to keep you moving well and pain-free. Dr. Steven Weiniger, internationally recognized expert on posture and anti-aging, combines cutting-edge research and interactive demonstrations to progressively build a daily posture exercise routine that is right for your body.  This book comes highly recommended by Dr. Brian McKeon, Chief Medical Officer for the Boston Celtics and world renowned Orthopedic surgeon.  Combining the PostureTek shirt with this 7 week program will maximize the benefits from the exercises and keep your body aware of its posture throughout the day, making you stronger in everything you do. Learn more by clicking the banner!

There’s several very common swing faults that can bring on lower back issues. Leaning of the upper body or reverse spine towards the target during the backswing. Not only does this fault not place the golfer in a good hitting position to initiate the downswing in the proper hitting sequence, it can cause the upper body to dominate the swing which often times leads up to lower back issues.

Another swing fault is the early extension or moving of the hips toward the ball usually during the downswing.  This often occurs when it traps or blocks the golfers hands and arms behind him usually causing him to push or hook shots.  Increased upper back curvature and head lift generally will accompany this fault.  Stress is usually to the right lower back.

Finally, the S-posture or swaying (arching) of the lower back while at address over the ball places excessive stress to the lower back muscles. This position also will cause the abdominals to relax, which can lead up to reverse spine or loss of spine, impacting the swing sequence. This fault is typically seen more often in women and younger golfers.

TOP 10 FITNESS MUST-HAVES FOR A BETTER GOLF SWING:
1. Balance between the chest and upper back muscles for a neutral spine at address.
2. Flexible hip flexors to prevent swaying of the lower back at address (S-posture).
3. Adequate range of motion in the mid-back and lats to allow for a good shoulder turn.
4. The ability to disassociate the upper body from the lower (X-factor).
5. A fair degree of rotational movement in the shoulders.
6. Adequate glute strength and lower stability for better control and to avoid excessive lateral movement of the hips.
7. Flexible internal hip rotators to allow sufficient freedom of movement in the hips both in the back and downswing phases.
8. Forearm muscle strength and balance for a good grip and wrist hinge control/release.
9. Good overall balance
10. Adequate cardiovascular fitness to ward off fatigue on the back 9.  Fatigue will negatively impact swing mechanics and increase the risk for injury!

Awareness plays an essential role in alleviating or eliminating lower back discomfort and injuries among golfers. Identifying the particular swing faults and muscle deficiencies allows for the development of a personalized exercise program that will isolate and correct the mechanisms causing the pain. This is without a doubt the key to pain-free golf.  Regardless of how chronic or acute the condition has become.

The information for this article came from Bob Forman, owner of GolFIT Carolina. http://www.Golfit Carolina.com  They’re dedicated to helping golfers play better, healthier golf. The article, videos, and other related material presented here are intended to help golfers enhance their golf swing mechanics and efficiency. Which will help amateur golfers to increase their distance, improving playing performance and satisfaction, and preventing or alleviating injury.

In order to improve your golf swing mechanics,it’s always a good idea to learn by using a training aid when practicing.The Anchor Golf Swing Stabilizer is a revolutionary new golf training aid. It’s a groundbreaking new device that uses patented engineering to stabilize your lower body, producing a more balanced, more compact, safer swing. Learn more by clicking on the following banner!

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