• Thank you all very much for sharing your time with us in 2025. We hope you all have a safe and happy 2026!

Anyone had any back issues???

Phil2511

Global Moderator
Joined
Nov 17, 2011
Messages
2,635
Location
Newtownards, Co. Down, N.I.
www.britespark.org
Was given some stretches do do to try and improve turning through the ball better, however it seems to have strained my sacro illiac muscle in my lower back.

I believe it is connected to approx 30 other muscles/nerves in the very base of the back/buttocks.

It seemed more of a tightness that actually went away when i hit balls at the range and i felt that it was more like the pain you get after starting at the gym.

Has anyone any tips or methods they have used for strengthening and improving the flexibility in this area? Or am i better to just get some personal training sessions to show me the correct way to do it in person?
 
Was given some stretches do do to try and improve turning through the ball better, however it seems to have strained my sacro illiac muscle in my lower back.

I believe it is connected to approx 30 other muscles/nerves in the very base of the back/buttocks.

It seemed more of a tightness that actually went away when i hit balls at the range and i felt that it was more like the pain you get after starting at the gym.

Has anyone any tips or methods they have used for strengthening and improving the flexibility in this area? Or am i better to just get some personal training sessions to show me the correct way to do it in person?

My top tip is to probably give the stretching a miss. Didn't even know I had a sacro illiac muscle let alone I could damage it
 
Phil im open to being corrected by someone here but the reason the average Joe has back issues may not be because of golf....But i certainly doesnt help the situation.....
The problem with the modern golf swing is the amount of coil that the upper body has to create against a stable base for power...

The problem arises when you have an inactive lower half in the swing....Something that im completely guilty of and am killing myself to try and rid my game of.....

It puts heaps of pressure on the lower back and side abdominals....It always feels fine while im playing, maybe due to the fact that the muscles are warm and stretching but i do pay for it a day or so later and sometimes even just hours later....
The only analogy i can give you is when you ring the water from a cloth...The twisting of the material expels the water and you can see yourself the amount of creases left in the cloth...Now imagine someone grabbing you and trying to twist you in opposite directions....Something has ti give.
Core exercises will help but by how much iv no idea.....

A tip that Bob Mac gave me was to swing while having my right heel off the ground....I think this gives your lower half a bit of a head start on the upper body when you start the downswing....

You can feel the difference straight away but its damn hard to replicate on the course...The last thing you want to be doing is concentrating on that one move on the course....
 
Thats exactly what it is mate. Think its a strain caused from the stretching and then agitated by the exertion on Thursday night. It was very painful yesterday mainly from standing about but only sore if i pushed into the dimple. I wouldnt say it was sore when swinging today just tight which when my brain felt the tightness it stopped my lower half from moving to protect it.

Will go see a chiropractor on Monday and try and get some back and core strengthening exercises at the gym as suggested in that link.

Thanks
 
Hi Homer i was doing the stretching to try and gain better upper body turn without using my hips as much to then allow me to get turned through faster.

Kid2 it was actually at work that the pain was caused not actually from the golf. The golf seemed to loosen it up like being at the gym and getting stiff but the next day loosening up again once you started doing the same exercises.

But because i seem to have strained it at work it seems to have tightened up to protect itself. Will try and get some advice regards core exercises and see how that goes as I dont know if i could manage the heel move LOL.
 
I dont think that its popped Murph. It was sore yesterday when i was standing about, but today not sore at all, just feels tight.

I actually think it could be getting ready to pop if you know what i mean. So would like some exercises to try and strengthen and improve the flexibility there so as to not pop it and not feel the tightness in the future.

Sounds like it may be best to get it looked at though just to be safe.

Thanks for the help guys.
 
I am by far a expert but I have been suffering from lower back trouble for over 15 years and YES I am 27 (from the age of 12). I have tried alot of these exercises and they are more of a long term fix. For general pain relief deep heat and hot water bottle does seem to work for a short term fix. I had a similar issue like yours 12 months ago and the best pain relief solution was to try and walk like a model on a catwalk rocking her ass side to side lol. Disclaimer.....I am not giving medical advice but purely sharing my experiences lol.
 
I had a few sessions with a TPI qualified personal trainer as I was getting a heap of injury problems through too much golf. Quite often you need to both strengthen and increase mobility throughout the core area plus the glutes. The lower back should be stable and not rotate too much (thoracic should do that) so if your glutes/abs are weak and your thoracic tight then the lower back gets too involved in the rotation and in the end complains.

The exercises solved all my lower back tightness and I've been lazy of late and not done them and have been a bit sore after golf so will get back to it !

I think there is some stuff on the TPI website which is free to use but I'd go see an expert and get some advice.

I also see an osteopath at a local golf club every 6 weeks or so now just to keep things in order !
 
Being 6'6" and playing lots of cricket, rugby and golf means that my back has had some issues. I always have a pack of diclofenac with me when i play any sport. It gets me through somehow. I still don't stretch though. Silly boy that i am
 
I'd ignored this thread as I thought it was about back issues of GM:rolleyes:


Sorry to hear your back woes Phil, it's the #1 cause of lost work days in this country. Can't help but Dr as opposed to T'interweb would be advisable
 
Not sore today at all, not even when i push into the dimple of the lower back where the pain was originally. though the muscle still has some tightness.

Going to hit the gym in the morning and get some personal training sessions 5 x 30 mins for £35 and ask for a program and get shown correctly how to do the exercises for core strength, stability and mobility, including the hips,glutes and hamstrings. Plus a pile of cardio will certainly help get some of the extra weight off

Been having a bit of a google around this morning on some of the previous suggestions and seen some good exercises but want to ensure I am shown properly rather than hoping from a picture.

Some actually look very simple and could be done at home or work over 10 to 15 minutes a day. So no excuses to not find the time.
 
Load bearing, hyperextension and rotation can combine to give problems in sports such as cricket (bowling) and golf amongst others.

Golf is also a one sided sport that can lead to muscle imbalances which can create issues, in addition many people have imbalances through their earlier life (e.g. quite often quads can be strong form hamstrings - common in people who played footbal - , also the muscles of the back are often not developed as much as they could be).

There's nothing wrong with warming up before playing and after session stretching and developmental stretching on from that.

You need both stability and strength in certain areas and flexibility for the golf swing to work at its best.

You could check out Paul Cheks golf biomechanics manual if you want a book on it. It's got exercises, stretches and screening tests. (edit another book / dvd option would be draovitch and simpson complete conditioning for golf)

I'd go to a phsio who knows about the demands of golf, get screened and have them develop a program for you. My experience with physios has been very good, if you don't know of a physio who specialises in golf (if they know there stuff and you can explain the movements needed that should be enough for them), but you could always go to the mytpi website and download the screening forms to give that info to your physio. They can screen you off that and reccomend exercises / stretches.
 
Last edited:
I had a (very successful) discectomy 6 years ago for a slipped disc and feel your pain

the best advice given to me was to build up your core muscle strength through regular exercise,

Dont be afraid to do a few pilates sessions, then take the exercises home or to your own gym.

One thing you really dont want to mess about with is your back, or Homers swing :-)

Fragger
 
Not until Thursday, had a little mishap at work and now sitting here popping pill due to a trapped nerve in my lower back, boy does it hurt.

Been told no golf for 3-4 weeks and was also told to start back slowly as it could take months to be back to full fitness.

Very light stretching does help but could be a long road back :(
 
Top