Golfers are back in the swing of it. In fact, we’re all getting out and about and back to the sports we love. Springing into action and taking advantage of restrictions lifting – it’s wonderful, isn’t it?
But at Sarum, we’ve noticed injuries being presented because a little more exuberance has been shown than was probably wise. Yes, it’s fantastic to be playing the sports we love and taking part again in sporting activity – but please be careful.
In particular, we are seeing golfers and tennis players. This is because the stresses on the body from these activities is different from walking and running. And of course, walking and running was possible during lockdown while team sports and those requiring a location (court and green) were not.
Now while you may have been maintaining your fitness, returning to a sport can still be a surprise to the body. Suddenly finding itself in positions that it’s forgotten – don’t worry it soon remembers again. Unfortunately, that twisting, turning and dynamic leaping is or can be a surprise to your muscles and joints.
Necks, elbows and shoulders are particularly taking a battering by those returning to the golf course. Caused by a mix of golfers enthusiasm, excitement to be back out on the fairway and competitiveness!
Please listen to your body…and don’t get carried away.
Warm up and make sure you have rest days to let the body get used to the activity again And please remember to warm down. My goodness, this one is so often forgotten and a drink at the nineteenth (that clubhouse again open) isn’t warming down!
You want to continue enjoying your sport and while we love seeing you at Sarum, we’d rather you continue doing the things you love, without pain. So here are a few exercises for the golfer to try before swinging that bag onto your shoulder and your club around.
Lateral trunk stretches
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a golf club overhead as high as possible with your hands slightly larger than shoulder-width apart. Stretch your trunk to one side and you should feel the stretch on the opposite side, then gently move the club back to the centre point and over to the other side. Repeat ten times on each side.
Hamstring stretch with club
Stand with your legs together with the club in front of you. Using the club for support, bring one leg in front with your knee straight and push your hips back to stretch the hamstrings of the front leg. Hold the position when you feel a comfortable stretch and remember to keep your back straight. Then swap and repeat for the other leg (three times on each side).
Trunk rotation with club
Standing with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent and arms holding a stick on your shoulder. Bend slightly forward at the hips (45 degrees), keeping your back straight and rotate your trunk with control from side to side, keeping your feet and hip facing forward. Repeat ten times on each side.
Backswing golf drill (sweep the dust)
Place a golf club or any stick across the shoulders. Make some smooth slow-backswings, focusing on the shoulders moving down and across as they rotate back as if you were sweeping the ground with the club across your shoulders. Do this ten times.
Golfers be kind to yourself and start slowly, think tortoise and hare!
If you’ve noticed a new injury following a return to the fairway. Or have an injury, ache or niggle that has meant you aren’t back to your favourite sport yet. Call 01722 415 055 to make an appointment and if it’s a new injury the sooner you reach out to us the faster you’ll be back to full form.
