Golf Injury Blogs
Welcome to the Golf Injuries Forum. Please feel free to ask questions of our staff about golf related injuries and pain.
We ask that you refrain from rude or offensive comments or comments intended to sell products. This is meant to be an information sharing area. We will review questions on a daily basis and respond at that time.
If you want to ask a question of a particular staff or Body Balance for Performance facility, please do so in your comment. Thank you for your comments.
Get Started
I have been golfing for a few years now and have recently been sidelined with problems associated with my SI joints (prominently in my right hip). I am doing physiotherapy (ultra-sound, traction, basic stretching exercises). I believe this problem is related to my golf swing. As I played softball for the past 40 years, I have developed a swing like Mickey Mantle (the Golf Pro at my course has told me it is definitely a baseball swing). I put all of my weight on my right hip and don’t carry through. I am shooting in the high 80′s so it has not affected my game. Do you think that if I correct my swing that problems with my SI joint should subside. Do you think that this is probably why I have these problems. I have done nothing else to cause myself these physical problems.
Thanks
Allison
Allison, I have dealt with SI joint problems for more than 20 years. It can be your golf swing that is the problem, but I would look at the body issues. If the body works correctly, the golf swing should not create a problems, even if baseball or some other type of swing.
SI joint problems can come from several causes. Once you have cleared any serious pathology, you might want to find a clinician who understands pelvic and hip biomechanics. In the years I have worked with the SI Joints, the majority of the time (greater than 90%) the issue came down to poor iliacus (hip flexor) mobility and poor glute medius function on the painful side. It is a rare occasion when we have needed ultrasound, traction or other modalities to calm the SI joint. If the problem is in fact muscle balance between the hip flexor and the glutes, restoring muscle balance is the only long term solution. Other treatments, and believe me in 23 years I have tried them all, just do not give lasting results with active, athletic people.
It all begins with a sound biomechanical assessment of the low back, pelvis and hips. This should include alignment, mobility, and stability assessments, biomechanical foot evaluation, and functional movement assessment. This testing will tell you if the dysfunction is the issue outlined above or something else. Most if the time if the stretching and strengthening is directed to the correct mechanical problem, the pain goes away as stability and mobility in the area improves in the long term, without the need for modalities very quickly.
If you want, we can do several tests using our online engine and help you understand if the problem is lower-cross muscle imbalances or not.
Dave
I took up golf 1 1/2 years ago and have had several lessons and I practice a lot. I developed medial epicondylitis in my right elbow in summer of 2008. PT didn’t really help and I finally got a steroid injection and had no pain for 6 months. Pain returned in Jan 2009. Is there a common flaw in someone’s golf swing that leads to “golfer’s elbow” that I could work on correcting? Thank you.
Pam,
Golfer’s Elbow is a common problem. It comes from several swing flaws that have their roots in issues in the torso or trunk.
As an example, when the shoulder blade muscles are weak this leads to an unstable shoulder girdle (collar bone, shoulder blade, shoulder joint and ribs). This in turn, makes us use the muscles down in the arm more and in a way that they are not supposed to work.
The shoulder blade instability can come from poor mobility in the upper back, or even poor stability in the pelvis and lower back. From a golf point of view, these dysfunctions lead to overuse injuries at the elbows and wrists.
To answer you directly, cupping, scooping, chicken winging, and over the top can cause golfer’s elbow. The real answer is generally not the swing flaw but a torso stability or mobility problem. If you look at the body as a source/cause, and fix the issues outlined in the first paragraph of this answer, and then take a golf lesson from a qualified golf instructor with your new body, you will find that the elbows stay healthy.
A complete golf fitness evaluation will be able to tell you for sure if this recurrence is from other body issues as opposed to a “swing flaw”.
Let me know if there is anything else I can do to assist you.
Dave
Gordon,
Have you every had this before? I will assume not. Can you tell me a bit about yourself…age, fitness level, etc and about the golf swing…There are so many possiblities that we need to narrow down a few things. Is the pain in the center, or off center? Is there any radiation into the ribs? Is the pain during or after golf? Is it there during a particular part of the swing? What is the swing model you are learning, ie. one plane, stack and tilt, traditional swing, etc?
Let me know and I will get back to you.
Dave
I just started golfing again after about 10 years off. I have taken 6 or 7 lessons from a pro. I am getting a lot of pain in my back – between my shoulder blades -(last for 3-4 days) starting several hours after hitting on the range (1 med. bucket). I stretch before hitting, my swing is not overly aggressive… any ideas
Thanks
Thanks Dave,
I am 49 – OK 52. I carry about 25 extra pounds but there is substance underneath. I sit in front of a keyboard all day which contributes to the problem, I am sure. The pain is about T4,T5 and a little to the left of center. It only shows up a few hours after a range session. When I am golfing, I feel great. Chiro helps, massage helps but I know that is treating the problem after the horse has left the barn. I am supposed to have a pretty much one plane swing but I am hitting a lot of pushes now so I am a little too much inside to out. I hope that is enough info.
Gordon
OK. I am not totally sure. I have a few ideas. If anatomically speaking you have a high right hip/pelvis in standing that could put pressure on the T-spine. Check this by looking at yourself in a mirror. Put your hands into the love handle area and push down until you get a “hard” feel under your hands. Now look in the mirror and see if one side is higher.
Next you will need to do a seated torso rotation test. Do this by sitting on a bench or chair with your arms crossed. Keep your lower body still and turn your chest right as far as you can. Take note on how far that goes. Now do the same thing to the left. Is there a difference?
Finally let’s do a shoulder rotation test. In standing put your arms straight out from the side of your body with your elbows bent to 90 degrees and palms facing the floor. Now try to rotation your forearms up and put your hands past your head (as in a throwing position) without moving your elbows. Can you get your hands past your head?
Do you practice on Mats or Grass?
Once you tell me how these go I will give you clearer answers. Bottom line is that there is something about your practice that is creating this. It could be endurance in the area (ball after ball will fatigue muscles more that hit walk hit walk). It could be T-spine mobility, scapular stability, or frame asymmetry. If could also be that you create a small tilt of your UPPER body to the left at the top (assuming you golf right handed). I am not talking about a reverse weight shift, but a spine tilt. That put a great deal of strain on the spine.
Let me know. I am able to look at you via the web also if you have high speed internet access and a webcam.
Dave
Yes, that is what we do. An assessment would be very worth your while. Jeremy is one of the best in the country at this. I have done a great deal of training with him. He probably know as much or more than me. I forward an email to him to look for you.
All the best.
Dave
Dave,
Thanks for getting back to me. The answers to your are same shoulder height, same torso rotation and about 85 deg (not quite straight up) for the shoulder rotation. I hit irons from a mat and woods from the grass.
Is this the kind of analysis your centers do ? I live about 45 min from the one in San Diego. It sounds like it would be worth my time to visit them (If they know as much as you)
Thanks for taking the time with me.
Gordon
Gordon,
Can i have the guys from San Diego contact you? If so what is the best info for contact. You can email privately to dostrow@fitgolf.com rather than posting here.
Dave