Developing Back Pain

[wubskis]

Hey there, I guess this would be the right section of the forum for this?

Well, of late my swing has been flip-flopping more than the footwear of the same name. I think it's down to me reading advice columns, tips on here, seeing videos and trying to integrate everything at the exact same time for super awesome fast results.

Well, I've since developed a fair pain in/around my left shoulderblade. Someone proposed it could be a pulled muscle, but I was more curious as to how this onset. I've not once been injured in any way through golf (well, I got hit by a ball once..) so I'm pretty sure this is just through my "new" swing.

Could this pinpoint something I'm doing wrong, like throwing my back around too hard, or using too much of one thing and not enough of another?

[usholeinone]

Im not really sure what you are doing wrong, but I constantly have lower back pain after playing a round and Im a fairly young guy. I would like to see some input as to how a swing could effect my back, or shoulders in your case.

Perhaps just stretching more before a round?

[wubskis]

Perhaps just stretching more before a round?

This was my first thought, but the fact that I've never stretched and never had back pain after a round still remains a mystery to me. I'm 20 as well, so this shouldn't really be happening yet

[Saint]

I'm 20 and have back pains as well in my lower back. Let me tell you, a chiropractor is your friend. i have good insurance, so it's fairly cheap.

[jaragon126]

As Saint mentioned ... my Massage Therapist is my best friend :)

I don't have severe pain, but I do get tight & sore lower back alot. Also my neck (probably from sitting in front of computers all day).

I do try to stretch before playing, and make sure to warm up slowly. Getting out of the car, walking up to the tee box, and trying to hit a 260 yard drive isn't going to work out very well for me.

[Saint]

I read somewhere that you need to stretch at your vehicle, and then when you walk tot he range carrying your bag, walk a fast pace, because it gets your blood pumping and helps you loosen up easier.

[wubskis]

Well, I ride my bike a lot for cardio-related fitness, and I try to avoid diving headfirst into a round, but I guess I'll just slow it down and prep before I play in future. Thanks for the guidance.

ps, chiropractors in this country =

[Travtex]

I did something horrific to myself that started out the same way/spot as yours -- Little twinge under my right shoulder blade (I'm a lefty). Kept playing, didn't think much of it... Woke up one day and couldn't get out of bed.

Couple days of loving the vicodin. I've broken bones that were less painful.

Getting back to where I can chip 'n putt, but a full swing is out of the question.

[Saint]

you have a torn rotatory cuff, or pinched nerves. I have pinched nerves right now in my right shoulder. I'll have to have rotatory cuff surgery sometime. I cant lift anything over my head for long. I used to pitch in HS, and I probably pushed 80 with my fastball, and that was as fast as i could get, because i couldn't develop anymore arm strength. Went to physical therapy for a month to fix my shoulder, and it didn't do anything for me. I can still pop my shoulder out of place no problem.

[Travtex]

The location certainly could be an infraspinatus tear (Which I guess technically would be a rotator cuff problem). T4-T5 is the root of the problem. Unfortunately, this was my 'good' shoulder. *laugh* I've been needing to get my left one fixed for some number of years after spending way too long in a kimura.

[wubskis]

Oh god, not even the sound of delicious painkillers can stop me worrying that it's something serious. I'm no hypochondriac but wow, gonna curl up in a ball and never do anything physical again~

[Travtex]

Har, I wouldn't worry. I'm banged up beyond belief, but I have a history of about 30 years of martial arts with ten of baseball and two of (US) football thrown in for flavor. On top of THAT, I've had a lifelong duel with immune/autoimmune issues that at one point had me with osteomalacia (I broke easily).

I'm willing to bet most people are less breakable/broken than I am.

I'm also a bit of an idiot, so "That hurts" has never struck me as a valid reason to stop doing something. *heh* Hence, worse injuries.

Besides, chicks dig scars.

[ninetwothree]

Most back pain, according to chiro and tpi trainer, is a result of compression on the back or twisting of the spine. The first thing to do is check how you are putting torque on your back and monitor your pivot. The old theory of staying in your spine angle is junk, as is the xfactor. The idea is to stay in your initial incline to the ground. When you get to the top of your backswing, you're not looking to have twisted your spine, but actually extending it.

For a RH player, the left shoulder moves down towards the ball and the right shoulder should feel like it goes up towards the spine. What you have done is Stood Up! and leaned a little left. If you view the spine as a long rectangle, it may be easier. consider the front part (facing your chest) the 'front', the 'left side' faces the target at address, the 'right side' faces away from the target, and the 'back' is the back. At address, the spine leans forward in flexion. at the top of the backswing, the leftside now faces the ball, the 'front side' faces away from the target, and the 'back' faces the target. This may give you the idea or the feeling to make a proper turn in your backswing. Whether you want to have a centered pivot, a right side loaded pivot, or some other version... biomechanic efficiency is what it is. You are either doing it right or doing it wrong.

[wubskis]

Nice summary, I'll give everything a closer look next time I'm at the range and make sure I'm not bringing this upon myself with jerky movements or trying to bend things that shouldn't be bent~

Oh and chicks dig scars, but they don't dig 20 year olds with some grey hair that are clutching their backs because of golf injuries