Ouch - golf injuries...

[saturnnights]

I kinda thought there'd be an entire subforum for dealing with the aches and pains of golf, but I guess I'm just a wuss?

Anyway, I've been out of commission for over two weeks now. I don't know how or why, but I managed to injure something in my rib cage while working out at the driving range. I wasn't even doing anything crazy - just swinging my irons to figure out my average distance for each when at some point, I felt a twinge in my rib cage. I figured I must've pulled a muscle or something so I finished up my bucket of balls (my biggest mistake, I believe) and went home. By the next day, I was crippled - it felt like I'd been shot. Every movement hurt and sleeping was almost impossible without sleeping pills and Motrin. That was two weeks ago yesterday and I haven't swung a club since. The pain is bearable at this point and I can sleep pretty well. I'm scared to death of swinging my clubs any time soon for fear of bringing back the injury.

So there, I'm just looking for sympathy

Cheers,
Mark

[niblick]

Definitely sounds like a muscle tear. Make sure you give that ample time to heal - it will be easy for you to re-injure the same area.

I've yet to do anything serious, but my shoulders tend to complain quite a bit when I've practiced alot. I'm not very flexible at all, so I'm constantly pushing my joints past where they're comfortable going.

[saturnnights]

I just go and watch my wife now - it's pure misery to watch and not play

Judging by how I felt then and now, I'm estimating that I won't be able to swing for at least 3-4 more weeks. That puts me into September and around these parts, the weather is pretty unpredictable starting in September. I may just be out for most of the rest of this season.

[cdriver]

Mark,

Go see your physician... I had exactly the same injury and thought just as you did that I had torn a muscle. After two weeks of fighting it, I got up in the middle of the night and went to the emergency room because the pain had gotten so bad I could not lie down.

Luckily, I was treated by a Doctor who is also an avid golfer (go figure) and he diagnosed my problem. I had aggravated all the connective tissue that held the muscle sheath to the ribcage. He said unless I got on anti-inflammitory drugs and rested it, I would suffer with it forever.

He also told me it is chronic and I would fight it from now on. I now take Ibuprofen (800mg 3x per day) and in cool weather MUST stretch and warm up before playing. Once I got past the initial episode, I have been pretty much ok since, but the weather has been warm. We'll see how it goes this fall and winter.

Good luck to you, but see a Doctor.

[saturnnights]

Mark,

Yikes... Now I'm getting worried - about the "chronic" part I've got to think about this and figure out whether I should actually go see my doctor - not a fun thing. I suppose that if I can get in tomorrow, I'll go. If not, I'll wait until Monday and consider it then

[InTheTwenties]

Gosh, I hope its just some muscle injury, but if it is more serious, I'll be hoping for your speedy recovery.
I have back pain, from lifting heavy shit. It aint bad, I live with it. But whenever I play, whenever I practice, whenever I go to the range, I stretch out for about 20 minutes.


BTW: you can try slow dry swings for practice at home. Also, have your wife pick you up a putting practice thingy. This way, you can still get some practice. If all else fails, get Tiger Wioods 2006 for xbox360, and drive the ball 400 yards.

Seriously, I'll be hoping for your speedy get well.

[prutkows]

hmm, speaking of injuries, im not sure what kind of muscle injuries there are (a tear, sprain, strain? etc..) but i definitely did something to my left Latisimus dorsi.. i think thats what its called? mid-back right below the shoulder blade.

its generally pretty stiff and sore at and post ball impact.

i was also curious if anyone else had a problem with their left pinky (or right pinky for leftys)

if i make a loose fist with my left hand, my pinky kind of locks up when i try to open my hand. by "locks up" i mean it stays in a bent position. i was wondering if this was from possibly gripping too hard with my left hand?

[saturnnights]

Gosh, I hope its just some muscle injury, but if it is more serious, I'll be hoping for your speedy recovery.

I used to run years ago and before each run, I'd stretch out. If I didn't, I'd be VERY sore. I think I'll start stretching and warming up for golf now that I'm no spring chicken. I suspect that maybe I should've been doing that and maybe if I'm careful from now on, I may be okay. I was, after all, using muscles that just weren't used to what I was expecting from them

Thanks for the sympathy though - I really needed some!

[saturnnights]

i was also curious if anyone else had a problem with their left pinky (or right pinky for leftys)

My wife is having the same sort of problem with her left pinky (she's a right-handed swinger). Her instructor told her that it's because she's gripping the club too tightly. She's been trying to loosen her grip and thinks that it may be helping...

[cdriver]

i was also curious if anyone else had a problem with their left pinky (or right pinky for leftys)

Bingo!!! I have that problem with my left pinky. I think mine is related to the interlocking grip. (I am left handed) I have arthritis in both hands, so I suffer with that daily. I can't make a fist tight enough to hold on to an aspirin (I have tried) because of the arthritis. I am considering asking the guy that does my grips about the "arthritic grips" I have seen advertised only I am worried that the larger grip may make it harder for me to square the clubface at impact. I have rather small hands and already fight that tendency with standard grips.

[Ghost Runner]

Does sunburn count?

I got drilled with a ball on the backside of a par 3 green. We were getting into our cart after playing the hole and one of the guys behind us flies the green and drilled me right in the rib cage.

[Indian Sensation]

I have you all whooped on this one :(

This happened about 6 months ago, I was playing with Thrash13, from the board, anyways...I just bought my first pair of golf shoes and was on the 16th hole of the course. Pulled the driver and hit a crappy shot, so I teed up another one, just for the heck of it, reared back and next thing I know I am on the ground and my knee is killing me. Couldnt finish the round, by the 17th my knee is double the size as it should be, the sad thing is my drive was the longest and straightest of the day :(... well the next week it was still killing me and was limping and still swollen, went to the doctor after the xray couldnt find anything, went into the MRI room, yep, tore the cartlidge on both sides of my knee...doctor couldnt believe it...ask if i fell off a ladder or something...nonetheless I was out of action for awhile but I am finally back at being able to play

[allin]

I have you all whooped on this one :(

Well I can't top it, but close to equal

. About 20 years ago I was playing with my ex's retired aunt and uncle in ARK. I didn't realize how little top soil there is on some of these mountain courses off the fairway. I hit down as hard as I could on a wedge from the rough. It got sore but didn't swell much. After six weeks and little improvement I went to the Doc. He told me I had broken it, needless to say it was to late to do anything but imobilize it. It has never been right ever since. So if your injuries don't improve pretty quickly go to the Doc.

[xy31]

My story isn't quite as severe, but I thougt I'd throw it out there for entertainment purposes (and maybe someone can avoid my mistake).

After playing about a year or so, I was taking a lesson with our club pro. At one swing I must have been too curious and tried too look after the ball too fast. Something cracked in my neck and I found myself unable to turn my head without it being really painful. The pro almost couldn't hold himself from bursting out in loud laughter.

I couldn't move my head for about a week. After that everything was fine again. I accredit my "fast" healing to my age at that time. I was 15.

So, don't look up too fast!!!

[golfchief]

My pinky started hurting after a few holes when I was using the interlocking grip, now I put it on the side of the index finger.

[allin]

Golfers elbow. I have quickly developed a bad cased of tendinitis in my right arm and elbow. I have had a stroke and have high blood pressure. So cortisone is a last resort. I have been icing and gulping ibupropen like a fiend, plus some gentle stretches in the shower but it is not getting better. Other than what I have done is there anything else I can do besides lay off for 3 weeks. The middle of August to the middle of October is the best golf weather we get here in the plains, I hate to take off now if I can avoid it.

[Konrad]

Once in a while, my right shoulder can act up and start some real nasty pull, snapping hooks.

[thehillgolfer]

luckily i'm 17 and cant say i've had any golf injuries, unfortunately basketball and soccer havent been so kind... among other things i've had a broken toe, hyperextended/bruised knee, partially knocked out tooth that required a root canal (in the one game i forgot my mouthguard ) stitches right under my eyebrow (one of the most painful things ever cuz i had to go to some clinic cuz i was in the middle of nowhere tennessee and the doctor was scared of using novacaine so close to my eye)...

oh and my broken toe was a result of kicking a girl's cleat...and i didnt realize it was broken til the end of bball season like 7 months later. so yeah, that was completely off topic but i figured i had to at least show off some of my other injuries.