Golf, Osteoarthritis, neck, lower back, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles, muscle spasm, manage pain and stiffness

Golf is undoubtedly becoming one of the world’s most popular sport (with good reason!). At our clinic we see a lot of players complaining of restriction in their movement that may be affecting their swing. We believe a good percentage of golfers may in fact be suffering from some form of osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis is the wear and tear of the cartilage that makes up a joint. With the degeneration you also get stiffness and sometimes extra bony growth occurs to further reduce joint range of movement. The most commonly affected areas are the neck, lower back, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles. And then there are the hands, feet etc.

So, as you can see, these joints can play a big role in affecting (adversely) your swing!! The more restricted these joints are, the less rotation of the spine and hence the smaller range of back swing as well as follow through. Apart from the joint restriction, arthritis can also cause localised pain, which will also limit the player’s abilities as it can lead to muscle spasm and gradually muscle wasting.

Role of Physiotherapist

Your physiotherapist can help reduce the joint stiffness with mobilisations. A program will be prescribed to maintain joint mobility and muscle strength and to correct any muscle imbalance that may occur.

Correcting posture will only maximise the body’s potential to produce power and good technique. Your physiotherapist will also give you advice on how to manage the pain and stiffness at home so you can get on with golfing and spend more time on the green than in treatment!!