Back problems and golf swing

[natureboy]

5 hours ago, pganapathy said:

Google Gary Player's walk through swing and follow that.  He used that drill and swing for a while to reduce back pain problems.  This is one of the best swings you can use because a normal golf swing puts you in a reverse C position which is all about twisting your spine and putting stress on your lower back

No it doesn't.

[pganapathy]

18 hours ago, natureboy said:

No it doesn't.

Maybe not for everybody, but my golf swing definitely puts me in a reverse C position.  Maybe it is the way my golf pro taught me.

Anyway, what I find is that when I am playing really well I am really twisting around my spine and generating speed from there.  Literally like the rubber band effect, so I have to say that I believe having strong back and core muscles is very important.  This means that even if you have back problems, you can definitely minimize the pain by building up your core muscles

[natureboy]

12 hours ago, pganapathy said:

 This means that even if you have back problems, you can definitely minimize the pain by building up your core muscles

Good point. Muscle strength helps support damaged / weak joints.

[iacas]

On July 19, 2016 at 0:34 AM, WUTiger said:

A decade-old video clip from Lee Trevino and advice from a chiropractor both suggest that a draw puts less strain on the back then a fade.

That doesn't make much sense.

On July 20, 2016 at 5:07 AM, pganapathy said:

Maybe not for everybody, but my golf swing definitely puts me in a reverse C position.  Maybe it is the way my golf pro taught me.

Sounds like it. I almost never see reverse Cs anymore.

[WUTiger]

WUTiger earlier "...draw puts less strain on body than fade."

3 hours ago, iacas said:

That doesn't make much sense. ...

I'll have to get back to you on this. A half-hour online search on golf injuries mainly showed comparison of X-factor and classic swings, Nothing specifically on draw vs. fade.

This video clip on Trevino swing: 1970 and now  show he has switched to draw, but does not mention injury avoidance as the reason. But, this is not the original Trevino clip I'm thinking of.

[pganapathy]

On ‎7‎/‎24‎/‎2016 at 5:26 AM, iacas said:

Sounds like it. I almost never see reverse Cs anymore.

I guess considering I got coached in the mid 80's and have never altered (though I have tampered with minor things) the swing since then, most likely my reverse C is a position I will play for a long time unless I really put in the time for new coaching or my back tells me I cannot do that anymore.  Hopefully I will be able to strengthen my core muscles so that this swing does not affect me

[iacas]

16 minutes ago, pganapathy said:

I guess considering I got coached in the mid 80's and have never altered (though I have tampered with minor things) the swing since then, most likely my reverse C is a position I will play for a long time unless I really put in the time for new coaching or my back tells me I cannot do that anymore.  Hopefully I will be able to strengthen my core muscles so that this swing does not affect me

I wouldn't resign myself to that.

The differences are often the knees. In the modern finish, much like you stretch your back in the morning when you wake up, your knees are extended.

In the reverse C, they're bent somewhat. Which puts a TON of strain on your lower back.

[RFKFREAK]

On 7/19/2016 at 0:45 AM, tdiii said:

I'll write this and it won't be believed, but I will try nonetheless.  And I, too, am not a doctor nor do I pretend to play on on TV.

Squatting and Deadlifting.  Heavy.  That's the answer, the magical elixir. 

Obviously, not right away.  Do a linear progression squatting 3 times a week 3 sets of 5 and deadlifting 2 every 3 weeks, 1 set of five.  By linear progression I mean starting light and gradually increasing weight over time, every work out.  Full range of motion (i.e., past parallel).  Eventually, you'll get to where you fail and do some re-sets back to lower weights.  And after 4-6 months you can look at modifying this program. 

Herniated dics here at L4 and L5.  I did not have a pain-free day between the time I was 18 and hurt myself (rowing in college) and age 42 or so.  I did cortisone shots, physical therapy, and I stopped playing golf for 8 years.  My second year in grad school I missed classes about 1/3rd of the time because I couldn't sit.  And then I started squatting and deadlifting at age 41.  It was rough at first.  And scary as hell.  But the amount of core strength you develop from these movements makes any situps, crunches or other core workouts look like a joke.  Think about the core strength it takes to stand with a bar with 300 pounds on your back.  By using proper range of motion, you also enhance hamstring flexibility -- I refuse to use the now-popular word, "mobility". 

Make sure your form is dead-on perfect and work with someone who knows what he/she is doing at first.  A great book is Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe.  He's curmudgeonly and politically incorrect as hell, but his website is hugely informative as well. 

My life is completely different than it was from age 18 to about 42.  I can backpack.  I can sit in a car for 3 hours, get out of it play a round of golf, drive home and be fine.  Not even stiff. 

I yell this from the rooftops, but either no one believes me or folks are afraid of really hard work.  If you research you will find thousand of folks out there like me. 

Good luck.  Back problems are absolutely miserable and carry over to your relationships, your work life, and, obviously, golf. 

Very true.  You also feel a lot stronger.

I don't do squats or deadlifts as often as @tdiii suggests, but I do each once a week as part of my workout routine. 

[colin007]

@tdiii speaks troof. People are scared to do either and won't put in the effort to see that it works.

Also the only difference between Trevino's fade and draw swing is where the target was and where his face was pointing. Same path, same body positions. 

[Golfingdad]

Once upon a time, not too long ago, I too suffered from herniated disks in my lower back (L4/L5 and L3/L4) and had basically "retired" from golf.  The thing that ended up working for me (to the extent that I could golf again) was several weeks of physical therapy.

Then more recently (19 months ago or so) I started eating better and taking martial arts classes, and am now 50 pounds lighter and with a much stronger core than I ever used to have and my back feels fantastic.  (Knock on wood)