By Jan Engoren
While Tiger Woods is one of the best golfers in modern history, he’s also known for the golfing injuries that have sidelined him: back surgeries, knee problems, an Achilles tendon tear and more. He’s not the only one.
While golf is considered a leisurely sport, injuries are common even among lesser players. Poor form, shaky fundamentals, improper swing form, or limited mobility and strength can all take a toll.
According to the market research website Gitnux, males aged 30-50 have the highest back injury rate among golfers at 45%. Seniors older than 65 account for 35% of ER visits related to golf. Poor swing mechanics contribute to 70% of back injuries.
To combat those statistics, it’s important to stretch before playing, stay hydrated, warm up and focus on proper swing mechanics, advises Berkcan Akpinar, an orthopedic surgeon at NYU Langone Medical Associates in Delray Beach.
“The game of golf has a lot of torque built into it,” says Akpinar, who occasionally hits a few balls on the driving range. “The trunk of your body is prone to injuries from a repetitive golf swing, including your spine, the muscles flanking the spine and the obliques.
“Stretch, make sure you use appropriate equipment, take your time, make sure your technique is good and then go out and have fun,” he advises.
As an orthopedic surgeon, he often operates on golfers who need shoulder replacements and says that, in addition to focusing on the back and core, it’s important to stretch the shoulder muscles. Rotator‑cuff tears or sprains, tendinitis and arthritis are common, as are wrist injuries.
Akpinar stresses the importance of proper club fittings in staying healthy.
“If you’re playing 18 holes, you might swing at the ball 80 to 100 times over that course, so it’s important to make sure it’s done with proper ergonomics and properly fitted clubs,” he says.
Another recommendation is to use a pushcart or golf cart instead of shlepping a heavy bag for 18 holes, which can strain the spine, shoulders and hips.
Akpinar suggests using your clubs as a stretching tool before you start your round — doing adductions or external rotations to warm up the shoulder muscles.
“Be creative,” he says.
A golf pro’s advice
While Akpinar treats the injuries once they happen, golf pro Christian Czaja focuses on the habits that help prevent them long before a golfer feels the first twinge.
If you look at Czaja’s Instagram, you’ll see the PGA Teacher of the Year for the South Florida Section and golf pro at Boca West Country Club giving putting lessons.
Wearing red, white and blue harlequin pants, Czaja demonstrates proper putting technique: how to keep your lower body inert and swing using only your upper torso.
“Professional golfers can spend up to one hour warming up,” says Czaja, who has played in three National Club Professional Championships. “It’s important to warm up, do 15 minutes of light stretching and start off with relaxed swings, to avoid injuries.”
He also emphasizes the importance of good fundamentals, which allow you to repeat an action numerous times without sustaining injury.
Often, weekend players are more prone to injuries, Czaja says. To stay in good golf shape, Czaja bikes, does other cardio and works out with weights to keep his core strong.
Gitnux reports that core strengthening can reduce the risk of back injuries by 45% and a good warmup can decrease the chances of strain by 60%. Also, physical therapy can resolve up to 85% of golfer’s elbow.
Other tips include drinking plenty of liquids, strengthening key muscle groups and listening to your body.
Keeping body in balance
Some injury prevention begins long before you set foot on the golf course. It starts with balance in the body, says Kim Hough, owner of Relaxed Living Yoga, Massage & Nutrition in Delray Beach. A golfer and competitive tennis and pickleball player, Hough takes a holistic approach to keeping golfers, including herself, healthy on the course and beyond.
One of her favorite tricks to minimize repetitive‑motion injuries is to counterbalance your movement.
“I tell all my golf clients that when they are waiting to hit the ball, swing the club in the opposite direction,” Hough says. “If you swing in the other direction, it will engage and stretch the muscles on the other side of your body, providing more balance.”
She believes in the mind‑body approach to staying healthy in sport and in life.
“There’s a lot of spokes on the wheel,” she says. “It’s important to see the bigger picture to maintain optimum health and be able to continue these sports as you age.”
She credits her own health to a mix of nutrition, massage and daily yoga — all aimed at reducing inflammation and keeping the body in balance.
In her yoga classes, she emphasizes exercises to keep the spine healthy and flexible, such as rotation, extension and flexion — something she does every morning and before hitting any golf balls.
She believes yoga is one of the best things you can do for back issues, which golfers often develop from rotating during their swing.
So, whether you’re chasing a hole in one, taking a mulligan or simply out for the exercise, the key to a good golf game is staying fit and avoiding injury.
Keeping your mind and body in shape — through good nutrition, flexibility, proper technique and well‑fitted equipment — can make the game safer and more enjoyable. And with a little preparation, a little awareness and a little creativity, you can stay on the course longer, playing the sport you love.
“Maintaining optimum health and fitness and an active lifestyle can help you keep doing the sports you love well into your later years,” Hough says.
To learn more about Hough’s practice, visit relaxedliving.org or call 561-715-4573.
To contact Czaja, go to Christianczaja.com or call or text 561-213-9213.
To learn more about NYU Langone services, visit nyulangone.org/locations/nyu-langone-medical-associates-delray-beach.
Jan Engoren writes about health and healthy living. Send column ideas to jengoren@hotmail.com.
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