Stretch before.....

[Saig55]

Some of you know I am coming off shoulder surgery. I have been going outside and chipping for a couple of weeks. I had a chance to hit a few balls one very pretty afternoon and ran out and hit away with a 6 iron. Yep, I pulled something in my lower right side of my back.

GET LOOSE, STRETCH and be prepared to hit. Now I'm not sure how long this will take to get over.

Sorry, I couldn't help it. I got excited when I had some time to hit and didn't take just a few minutes to stretch.

Think about it...............

[Gioguy21]

start slow, work slow...build up to full speed/strength...great for practice on 1/4, 1/2 swings... ;)

[ohiolefty]

I'm getting over a back injury (non golf-related, but golf hasn't helped it AT ALL) and I have to do a pretty involved stretch routine before I play or hit balls that takes me 5-8 minutes. It took some getting used to, but I love it. I get more out of my practice sessions especially, because it reduces the number of creaky 'warm-up' swings.

[jamo]

They say a lot of back injuries come because you were compensating for other injuries. A good example of this is Rocco Mediate. I remember him saying in the Feinstein book that he had back problems especially after he gained some weight. As they say, sometimes a back problem is actually a front problem.

Another really good example of this is baseball pitchers. When they have a lower body problem, they stop driving their legs and whipping their hips to generate power. When they see that they are a little low on the radar gun, they throw a little harder with their arms. Then hello shoulder and elbow problems.

[ohiolefty]

Mine came as a result of lifting weights while getting 'in shape' for my wedding last Spring...haha, what a joke.

I know that during this winter when I've been tinkering with my swing to be more back-friendly over the long term I've had a few odd muscle pulls. Some of it is the swing tinkering. Some of it is the sheer volume of balls I've been hitting. Some of it is getting ready to hit the big 3-0.

[Saig55]

Well, I'm 54 and it's doesn't get any easier to stay loose. I've played sports my whole life and now I'm finding myself getting lazy. Being lazy will get you hurt a lot.

[tr_murray]

I feel your pain, I am recovering from a rotator cuff injury and every time the sun pops out I want to run up to the range and hit some balls.

I found a book that had some pretty good stretching routines and information that you may find helpful. It is Golf Rx: A 15-Minute-a-Day Core Program for More Yards and Less Pain by Vijay Vad. It focuses more on the back but the stretches cover all the relevant muscle groups.

Good luck on the recovery!

[dblbgy17]

stretching is something i definitely need to do this year before every round. i'm terrible at going from the car straight to the tee box. can't get away with that anymore, turned 30 last month, haha.

whenever i take my first swing of the round my left shoulder (i'm right handed, so my lead shoulder) always pops...and i mean ALWAYS! does anyone else have this going on? i'm a little concerned it might lead to a serious problem down the road. i've always been athletic and in good shape, played basketball and baseball so i don't think it's a condition thing. just a little concerned.

my buddies always get a good laugh out of it though, yes it's that loud that they can hear it. on the other hand, it does help to keep the tee box quiet, b/c everyone wants to hear it.

[Fatphil]

  jamo said:

They say a lot of back injuries come because you were compensating for other injuries. A good example of this is Rocco Mediate. I.

Another Rocco reference,,,before he hits his drives he lifts the driver over his head and does a quick stretch of his lats, shoulders & rotor cuffs...it helps me.

[tm22721]

The key is not to stretch before it is to stretch DURING the swing