A lot of people mistakenly believe that golf is a low impact sport. However, there are many different golf injuries that can occur, and in fact, 40 per cent of amateurs and approximately 60 per cent of professionals suffer injuries from taking part in golfing activities. Eight times out of ten, golf injuries occur from overuse while the remainder are traumatic injuries. In this post, we will take a look at some of the most common injuries people sustain from playing this sport while also providing you with some advice on the most effective treatment if you’re unlucky enough to suffer a golfing injury yourself.

Golfer’s elbow

A common golfing injury you may have heard of is golfer’s elbow. This is an injury to the muscles that flex your fingers and wrist. It occurs when the muscle tissue is damaged because more force is applied to the area than the tissues can handle and symptoms include pain when the muscles are stretched or when performing gripping tasks. You may also feel tenderness at the source of the injury, which is the bony epicondyle – the bony bump on the inside of your elbow where the muscles attach.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is another one of the most popular golf sports injuries and is a repetitive stress disorder, which impacts the nerves of the hands. Symptoms include hand weakness as well as tingling and numbness of the fingers, especially at night.

Lower back pain

Lower back pain is the most common golf injury. In fact, a third of professional golfers suffer from this, as golfers twist their bodies at speeds of up to 200kph, and their body is in a slightly bent position when striking the ball. If the individual playing golf has underlying spinal stiffness, a lack of control or slightly weak core muscles, they can easily experience pain in their lower back.

DeQuervain Tendinitis

DeQuervain Tendinitis is an inflammation injury to the tendons that control the thumb. It results in pain in the wrist, with tenderness and swelling also being common symptoms.

The four injuries mentioned merely scratch the surface of the type of golf injuries you may experience, with other examples including hamate bone fractures, knee pain, wrist impaction syndrome and shoulder pain. This highlights why it is so important to take golf injuries seriously, as this sport is not as low impact as many people have a tendency to assume.

Getting the right treatment for golfing injuries

If you are experiencing any type of injury that has occurred through playing golf, the best thing to do is see a chiropractor. Using a chiropractor for sports injury treatment is ideal because not only will you recover but you will maintain and improve performance alongside recovery too. A expert chiropractor will put together a bespoke treatment plan, based on your injury, and that aims to ensure the quickest road to recovery. They will also use a wide assortment of techniques to alleviate pain and restore functionality, including soft tissue massage, joint mobilisation, ice or heat treatment, bracing and progressive exercises. Contact our Younger Chiropractic Clinic in Wirral now for professional and high quality service.