Training to prevent golf injury

Abstract

Golf is a popular sport, with almost 30 million active participants in the United States each year. It is a leisure-time activity that satisfies the Surgeon General's recommendation for daily physical activity. Despite being a low-impact sport, 60% of professional and 40% of amateur golfers suffer from injury each season. One explanation for this high rate includes the repetitive bending and twisting of the swing. However, it is suspected that most golfers do not participate in any form of off-season training for their sport, nor do they warm up before exercise. This is especially important in the large number of retirees who have the time and resources to play golf. A basic review of golf swing biomechanics reveals significant torque stress on the shoulders, elbows, wrists, and lower back, which also corresponds to the most common areas of injury. Understanding the underlying mechanism makes it possible to design a sport-specific injury prevention program.