Oh dear, the spectre of back problems is becoming all too real...

Curls

Curls

Journeyman Pro
Joined
Mar 25, 2011
Messages
3,271
Visit site
Howdy folks,

Never had back problems until recently (I'll be 34 in 41 sleeps). A month ago I played a few rounds in a row and had a brutal pain in my lower back afterwards, I was carrying but I think I got sloppy in the follow through and started bending my back in a way it didn't fancy. Since then I've only played twice, trollied (but sober. Ish) and both times its resurfaced. I have at least 3 and potentially 4 rounds next week/weekend as club championships and matchplay commitments stack up. Any advice from sufferers? Thinking about a support brace, would this help and can anyone recommend one? Don't mind manning-up and taking pain killers but I'd hate to make Sunday with a good score and have to ease off.

Thanks all.
 
I have suffered from some lower back pain recently and put it down to doing (playing) too much with little or no recovery time. I'm 52 soon to be 53.

I have been to a local hotel and been in the sauna & steam room this week and had a gentle swim which only cost £6.00 and I already feel much more at ease and refreshed. I also slept like a baby last night.

I'm going again on Friday before my weekend medal.
 
I had twinges April last year and played golf after taking ibuprofen. Eventually I ruptured two disc in my back and had to have an operation in September. A support brace will weaken your back as your muscles aren't doing the work they should according to my physio. Go see your Dr and ask to see a specialist.
 
I get a sore lower back when I play too much (often!). I see an osteopath for treatment and have recently committed to more stretching. My SI joints are the culprit. I was a lot better when I followed a regular golf-specific exercise programme as set by a TPI qualified trainer but at the moment am too sore usually to do it! This week I am playing less, seeing the osteopath, stretching hamstrings and lower back/hip flexors and also icing it regularly in the hope I can get it settled down and get back to the exercises which helped.

So ice, ibuprofen, gentle stretching and hopefully you'll get through.
 
Thanks Fish and Amanda, and Yikes Kinhell! Sounds sore!!! Good advice on skipping the brace also, cheers all round
 
I am lucky enough to have a TPI qualified fitness coach as part of the Play Your Best Challenge. I'm generally fairly fit and healthy but get the odd ache and tightening of muscles after football and golf.

An assessment by Annette Stroud of Fitness4Golfers identified the areas where I need to improve balance and stability and I have a comprehensive program of exercises to strengthen areas including my lower back.

If it is feasible to see a TPI qualified coach, I would recommend it. But be aware that only a commitment from yourself to regularly perform the exercsises will actually yield benefits.
 
tallpaul said:
I am lucky enough to have a TPI qualified fitness coach as part of the Play Your Best Challenge. I'm generally fairly fit and healthy but get the odd ache and tightening of muscles after football and golf.

An assessment by Annette Stroud of Fitness4Golfers identified the areas where I need to improve balance and stability and I have a comprehensive program of exercises to strengthen areas including my lower back.

If it is feasible to see a TPI qualified coach, I would recommend it. But be aware that only a commitment from yourself to regularly perform the exercsises will actually yield benefits.
Click to expand...

Cheers Paul, can't imagine this weather is helping in your quest to break 100, either way hope you're enjoying the ride!
 
I do suffer from lower back pain every now and again and I suspect much of it is down to the abuse my back took playing front row in the scrum every weekend for 27 years.

To be honest it is normally OK when I play a normal round or 2 of golf as there is plenty of rest between swings. When I normally suffer is if I go to the range. Hitting a number of balls in quick succession really causes my back to ache.

Going back to using my electric trolley has certainly helped and making time to stretch before a round helps as well. What has really assisted was having my irons lengthened a little when I was fitted. It allows me to stand a bit more upright and that has made me more comfortable.
 
Really don't want to go down the electric trolley route (as an expense as much as anything else) but if it goes that way so be it, a far cry from a couple of months back when I carried which I much prefer, galls me to have to walk the cart path away from my ball!
 
Keep it moving and do some regular stretches. Find the ones that work for you. I've had a recurring back problem for a few years. You have to manage it. Core strength exercises are good as well- you have to make them part of a daily routine.

I recently had a course of acupunture which has been the best thing I've done for pain management. Hadn't played for a few months and after 3 sessions of acupunture went round in 12 over with nothing worse than a bogey.

Hope it get's better soon.
 
Having played 3 rounds last weekend and being someone who never warms up before a game I felt my back sore to the extent I thought I wouldnt be able to play for a week or so.

HID got me to try some pallate exercises,I only done two 15 min. workouts and couldnt belive the results, I felt better straight away, played today with no bother and shot a 85.

Not saying this will work for eveyone but it sure helped me.
 
If you get back pain and it doesn't get better soon with ice packs, rest and pain killers then I suggest you get it checked out by a back specialist. I have no time for osteopaths either and consider them no better than quacks.

I had 12 visits to the osteopath for my bad back, he said he could cure it - no problem as it was definitely muscular! I went for an MRI scan as decided by the back specialist and it turned out to be arthritus of the hips. Less than three years later I have two replacement hips. Ok thats maybe not a common story but I really advise you to always get longer term issues looked at properly
 
I used to suffer alot with my back, the issue normally caused by sliding the hips instead of turning through.

I was lucky enough to find a chiropractor that also plays off single figs and has a good understanding of swing mechanics, he straightened me up over about 3 months, and gave me warn up / stretch sheets for pre abd post round.

This Friday just gone was the first lot of bad back pain I've had on months, and I carry
 
Listen to your body, get it seen to.

Your back doesn't just 'suddenly go', it'll be a slow build up of factors that then manifest itself in an acute episode of pain. It'll also not necessarily be golf specific.

My back 'went' at the end of August last year and it still isn't right.

Edit: - I'm 29 and 11/12ths so age is no barrier to back issues.
 
Last edited:
get it sorted before it gets worse would be my suggestion,if you have to take pain killers and heat rubs etc just to play golf it is logical something is wrong,try doing other less impacted sports like swimming to help build the lower back muscles and help with flexibility,but most lower back pain is caused by disc problems so nip it in the bud before you have to pack in playing altogether.
 
Thanks for the help folks, going to look into these stretches and if it isn't shifting get it seen to by a proper doc. Sound.
 
Stretching without doubt is the way to do things. On top of this I would get yourself on an inversion table, will get rid of the pain. We have in our house and it is unreal. One example of how good it is, my girlfriend was in a car crash when she was little and has had to go to a chiropractor every 2 months to crack her back, back into shape and with costs of around £100 a session in Sweden its not cheap. She would not be able to carry her golf bag because of the pain in her back after the round. She has been on an inversion table 3/4 times a week and has never felt better, she can now carry her golf bag fully loaded and not been to the chiropractor for nearly a year because of this.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Aztecs27
First port of call for back problems? GP?
2
Replies
28
Views
3K
Jay Nause
J
HomerJSimpson
The Fat, Bald, Yellow Guy is Back
Replies
12
Views
1K
viscount17
viscount17
Top