If you enjoy watching the occasional golf game or if you like to spend Sunday morning out on the green, you might be surprised to learn that around 60% of people who play golf recreationally suffer from injury. While golf does take precision and strength, most injuries are caused by a lack of physical conditioning. Even though there is no running, jumping, or endurance, your body still needs the benefits from muscle and cardiovascular conditioning in order to prevent injury while playing golf. Proper form and equipment will also make a difference.
What are the most common injuries?
Commonly, golfers will struggle with injuries in the arms and shoulders, as well as the back. These problems may include:
What are the best conditioning exercises?
Golf players should seek for the best of both worlds when it comes to total body conditioning. Muscles should be stronger, but not so big that they restrict flexibility. Those who play golf regularly would benefit from:
How does equipment affect injury?
Usually, you can learn to golf well with any set of golf clubs in good condition, from economy sets to professional sets. However, this will not be the case if the clubs are not fitted properly. Even though a club that is too heavy, too short, or too long may not affect you in one game, it will affect you long term.
Proper fitting helps to elevate the power of a swing. Therefore, if you have a poorly-fitted club, your body will be working harder to achieve the same result. Overtime, the added exertion will take its toll on your joints and muscles, and you'll have many more injuries than you would have had if your clubs had been fitted properly from the beginning.
Furthermore, using clubs that aren't fitted can also affect your posture and swing to the point that you develop flaws in the way that you golf. For example, if you have to stoop lower, different muscles will have to compensate for that difference. Eventually, those muscles will get strong, while the ones you should have been developing have been neglected. In the end, you'll find it difficult to to switch to a better form, and you may injure yourself in the process.
Click here to learn more about choosing the right golfing equipment for your body type and needs.
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