Golfers: Minimize Injuries
Injuries suck.
I love the sport of golf if you couldn't tell.
I'm addicted to it.
In the Winter I dream about playing.
In the spring, summer, and fall I think about when my next round is going to happen or when I can sneak out onto the range.
And NOTHING is more sad than when an injury keeps you, or a golf buddy, away from the game.
LUCKILY, there are steps we can take to minimize the risk of injury on the golf course.
First, let's talk about what injuries are and aren't first...
Injuries are:
COMPLEX.
Multifactorial.
Often avoidable with preventative efforts.
Injuries are not:
Cause and effect.
A life sentence keeping you away from the game of golf.
Always avoidable.
Just like pain (wrote about that HERE) injuries are very complex.
They're never unifactorial.
Meaning, if you go see a practitioner for your bum back and they say something like...
"It's because of your tight hips!"
What a misleading joke.
I guarantee there are thousands of other golfers that exist in this world with the same amount of hip mobility as you and aren't having back issues.
That's not the reason.
It may be A reason... but not THE reason.
It's not that simple.
Let's look at your nutrition, hydration, sleep and recovery.
How've your stress levels been lately?
Maybe you respond and say "Oh, they've been a little higher actually because I got a new boss that's a dippdy doo."
This isn't a random coincidence.
Everything effects everything.
I recently had a follower on social media reach out to me saying the following:
"I went and saw a doctor and he told me I have a herniated disc, and should never golf again."
What are we doing here?
Never see that doctor again.
Give him a negative review online (is that possible?).
You WILL be able to golf again.
Your body is adaptable and resilient.
It will recover.
You will get stronger.
The body and your golf swing will adapt to this new constraint that is present within your body.
You will be playing again in no time.
Doctors like this need to understand the emotional toll of their words.
Saying something like this to an active golfer who lives for the game might be the most emotionally impactful message they could receive.
And, as we have discussed, injuries are extremally complex so having these negative emotions surrounding the injury will only make the recovery process longer.
WHAT SHOULD YOU BE DOING TO AVOID INJURY?
Three things:
Build adaptability. Obtain a wide-breadth of movement ability.
Build resilience via strength.
Stress exposure. Consistently and progressively expose yourself to novel stressors.
Check out this video for more as well as exercises you should complete that tap into all three buckets!
Let's go low!
Carter Schmitz
Founder: SCRATCHGolfTraining.com
