Can Golf HELP my back pain?

I am 32 and in pretty good shape, not as much as I used to be, but hey.  I have had a pretty significant back pain mainly in the morning off and on for a couple of years now.  I have been playing golf pretty regularly only the last 5 years or so.  It can be really painful, and almost difficult to hit the first few balls, but then it seems to stretch out and I feel alot better.  I try to stretch on my off days from golf and it doesnt feel like it relieves it much.

Do you think playing golf stretches it out and makes me feel better.  Or am I just focused on golf instead of my back and end up hurting myself more?

Anyone else have same problem or any tips?

Greatly appreciated

-Derrick

If anything, I thought golf would put a lot more stress on your back.  You should try yoga.  If your back feels better afterwards, then you'll know the pain is most likely due to tightening of muscles.

If your back feels better after a few holes of golf, yoga should do wonders for your back.

You've posted this in the Rules of Golf subforum - are you looking for a USGA ruling or decision on this question?

In general.....golf causes back problems.    It's definitely not a therapy to ease back pain......that's for sure!!!

Golf does not help back pain.  If anything, it is likely to aggravate it. That's coming from someone with degenerated discs in the lumbar section along with the early stages of arthritis.  It sucks.

What does help?  Core training at the gym, stretching, and keeping body weight in check.

Yoga. Before I did yoga, I would eat ibuprofen like candy for my sore back, especially after a round. Been doing yoga for 6 months now & I don't even need the ibu.

I broke my L1-3 about 15 years ago.  I have healed well from it, but I do occasionally have back pain.

On occasion I can just move funny, like reaching for something in the kitchen,  and get extreme pain.  I never have pain when playing golf and my pain seems to be less when I am playing on a regular basis.  This is not medical advice, just my observation about my own condition.

No, it will aggravated it.  Golfing requires extreme pelvis stability through the swing phase othewise you will likely suffer.  It sounds like you are built asymmetrically and would do well to purchase foot orthotics.  Start with off the shelf.  Superfeet are a good brand.  A good chiropractor is a natural for this.  If you want to understand your problems better, consider reading the book Cheating Mother Nature, what you need to know to beat chronic pain.  It will give you a better understanding of why you hurt and where you can get the help you need.  Find it on Amazon.com

I have some serious back problems along with pelvic tilt, which have caused to me to change the way I play, and I've pretty much given up the thought of ever being a scratch golfer or hitting the ball 300 yards because I can't make a complete turn, but you can adjust to where you can play decent golf and have fun with little to no pain.  My back is so horrible that I have had to give up every other physical activity, but can still walk 18 holes without pain.  The walking has actually helped my back pain, because of the physical exercise strengthening muscles that I haven't been able to use since I was injured.

My lower back is shot - I can only walk 9 holes & usually pay a price the next day.     Golfing 3 or 4 days a week is hard on my back ... guys I golf with swear by chiropractors ... gonna give one a try soon to see if it helps.

Golf will make you fresh and more healthy. But for more fast cure of backpain you should visit doctor to get proper advice. Another case back pain caused by tiredness and lack of drinking. I am sure if you more and more water of drinking, your back pain will remove naturally. 2-3 weeks will no back pain if you more drinking of water. This is one of my experience. Golf?yes you will more fresh. Keep do it.

I guess it depends on what causes your back pain. If it is because your back muscles are too weak (which is my situation), then build up your back muscles.

Do some weight training for your lower back:

Pull-ups (if you can do them - a lot of people can't)

Lat pulldowns

Dead-lifts

Bent over barbell rows

Squats

Of course, weight training with free weights has its risks of injury. But free weights also have the excellent advantage of working more muscles at the same time and giving you more functional strength.

I did some weight training, and it has helped my back pain a lot, and it has even improved my general posture (bonus!).

You are a relatively healthy 32yo with significant back pain X2 years. This needs to be evaluated by a physician. Considering your description, I would suggest a work up that at least included AP, lateral, oblique, and flexion/extension views Xrays.

The medical literature only points out how stressful the golf swing is on the lumbar spine, especially if swing technique is faulty.* I have found no research saying the golf is good therapy for it, nor do I think I ever will.

If your soreness lasts for several days after you play, and you can associate that soreness with golf and only that, I believe a visit to your physician is in order if you want to keep playing.

*Amateurs. Professional golfers put little stress on their spine because of their technique, but suffer LBP from overuse.

On the contrary, it is a GREAT way to relieve certain types of lower back pain, especially when walking.

The OPs experience is EXACTLY the same as mine.

I have to agree with this....I was having some minor lower back pain for quite awhile, and started to see a chiropractor for it.  Through him I figured out the importance of carrying extra pounds on your body and how it impacts everything, and through diet and exercise lost around 35lbs.  Guess what?  After losing the weight, most of the back pain was gone!  Another way that helped my back pain was to walk the course as much as possible; now I walk every time I play.   Its good for you too!

mike

I'm 22 and I went through physical therapy for a herniated disc 2 summers ago (wasn't allowed to play any golf). I never had an MRI, so now i'm questioning that it was ever a disc, but I had terrible lower back pain. Last summer, even though I still had pain, I just said **** it and played a lot. I really felt like my back pain improved last summer just playing golf, but I know that is contrary to popular opinion.

This summer I'm taking a different approach. I've never been really fit, and I was always terribly unflexible. I've spent the past few months working out pretty hard, and really working on my flexibility. The back pain that I had 2 months ago is completely gone now. I think its mainly due to my hamstring flexibility. 2 months ago I could only reach to about the center of my shin in a sitting hamstring flex and now I can reach my finger tips around the balls of my feet.