Today’s blog is the 3rd of 4 in this series of golf-related lower back pain. In this piece I am going to give you some advice on how to prevent lower back pain from occurring and re-occurring. Lower back pain, as previously discussed, is an ever-increasing injury/complaint in golfers.
I believe the key to preventing lower back pain from occurring is to be PROACTIVE instead of RE-ACTIVE, and this rule applies for all golfers of any age or ability. PREVENTION is much better than CURE in every aspect!
In our practice, I use a golf screening and correction protocol. I use this on golfers to help them prevent golfing-related injuries, in particular lower back pain, from OCCURING or RE-OCCURRING.
This screening and correction protocol enables a golfer to highlight specific areas of weak links in their body, which are at a high risk of becoming injured. Once these weak links have been established, a number of exercises are carried out to correct them. This screening tool is a great way to be PROACTIVE and prevent injuries from occurring. It empowers the individual, as they have the confidence and self-belief that their body will remain injury-free throughout the golf season, a tournament or round of golf.
Below, you will see a picture of myself performing test 2 of the 10-test screen I use on golfers. This test looks specifically at the control of the lower back during the golf swing. If golfers are unable to complete this test, achieving the benchmarks and controlling the lower back during the test, then they are at a high risk of suffering from lower back pain or a golfing-related lower back injury.
The picture shows myself bending forward from the hips, preventing any arching in the lumbar spine (lower back). Once I have reached 45 degrees of hip flexion (forward bend), I rotate my thoracic spine (upper back) to 60 degrees right and left, preventing my lumbar spine (lower back) from rotating with it.
If you have a go at this at home, and feel you are unable to prevent your lower back from arching or rotating, then you are at a high risk of lower back pain OCCURING, therefore this screening and correction protocol would benefit you!
This golf screening protocol can also be used on golfers with previous injuries and lower back problems to help prevent RE-OCCURRENCE, and is just as effective for preventing RE-OCCURANCE, as it is OCCURANCE.
If a golfer is concerned about their lower back and wants to prevent lower back pain from OCCURRING or RE-OCCURING then the golf matrix screening is something I would definitely advise!
