Golf Injury Prevention

Golf injuries normally arise in the beginning of your season when your muscles aren’t used to moving the way you need them to after the winter months when you haven’t been able to play golf. The key to injury prevention when you start up your golf season is strengthening the muscles that you use to play golf. Try out these exercises below to strengthen all of the important muscles that you need for golf and everyday life.

STRENGTHEN & PROTECT THE LOW BACK

The lower back is a very commonly injured part of the body when you’re starting up your golf season. The twisting of your back when you swing can strain the muscles in your back especially if you are doing repetitive motions on the driving range. Try these exercises to strengthen your core and prevent back injuries.

Bridges

Knees to Chest

Windshield Washers

Cats & Cows

STRENGTHEN THE KNEES

This may not be something that you think of right away when you think of gold injuries. Your knees twist too when you’re swinging through on that drive. Make sure you strengthen the hips and knees to avoid injuries in those areas. The stronger you are, the less likely it will be to injure that area. It also means that you will recover faster if you do end up sustaining an injury.

Squats

Hamstring Curls

Legs Extensions

Hip Abductions

SHOULDER STRENGTHENING

Your shoulders do a lot of work when you’re golfing. You have to be precise with the movements of your shoulders; knowing when to produce great force for a drive or minimal, controlled force for putting. Strengthen your shoulders and improve their range of motion with these exercises.

Internal Rotations

External Rotations

Overhead Flexions

ELBOW STRENGTHENING

Your elbows take a good deal of force when you are golfing. They don’t call medial epicondylitis “Golfer’s Elbow” for no reason. Strengthen the muscles and improve the mobility of your elbow joint with these exercises.

Bicep Curls

Triceps Extensions

Plyometric Wall Push Ups

WRIST STRENGTHENING

Your wrist muscles work a lot in your day-to-day life. When golfing, they take on a lot of force every time you hit the ball with your golf club. Try these exercises daily, not just to keep your golf game going, but to avoid pain and injuries every day.

Extension & Flexion

Pronation & Supination

Wrist ABCs

Julia de Reijke RKin, CSEP-CPT, BASc Kinesiology (Hons), DipFTHP