It doesn’t matter if you’re a keen beginner or a seasoned pro – every golfer is prone to injury at some point in their golfing career.
The five most common complaints amongst golf enthusiasts are:
- Back pain
- Elbow tenditis
- Shoulder pain
- Knee pain
- Wrist sprain
What causes these kinds of golfing injuries?
Poor swing mechanics are often to blame for pain in the back, neck and knees. An instable takeaway, an unbalanced backswing or a sub-par follow-through can all place unnecessary strain on your musculoskeletal system, leading to muscle soreness and causing damage to your tendons and ligaments.
Many injuries can be traced back to poor posture, too. If you’re hunching over the ball in a bid to achieve the perfect shot, you’re risking neck and back strain. To ensure the force from the swing flows smoothly through all your muscle groups, you’ll need to stand with your feet shoulder width apart and rotated ever so slightly outward, with your knees slightly bent and your spine relatively straight. It’s the only way to distribute some of the pressure that’s placed on your pelvis and lower back during a shot, and prevent this stress from impacting your joints.
Badly executed swings can place a significant amount of pressure on the spine, which is why inexperienced golfers often experience back pain after time on the course. Similarly, repetitive swing movements can cause irritation and inflammation of the tissues in the elbow over time, resulting in tendonitis. The only way to bounce back from this kind of injury is to rest up and let the area heal – which, unfortunately, means more time away from your favourite pastime.
Injuries to the rotator cuff in the shoulder are often caused by a badly executed swing, or one that’s interrupted by something hard, like a rock or a particularly rough tuft of grass. Other shoulder-related injuries can also be caused by something as simple as lifting a club bag that’s too heavy, so be aware of this when transporting your equipment around the course (or, better still, find yourself a caddie!).
Finally, wrist sprains are often down to bad action and high impact on the ground. Surprisingly, though, they can also be caused by not warming up the hands correctly. Warming up and cooling down either side of a game is vital, as it helps to prime the small, delicate muscles in the wrists for play.
How can OrthoSole insoles help to prevent golf-related aches and strains?
We’re not saying for one minute that our customisable insoles will improve your swing, supercharge your stroke or guarantee you a better game. The only way you’ll hone your skills is through nailing your technique and practicing as often as you can!
However, because they are designed to improve foot stability, absorb excess shock and encourage better posture, our insoles can take much of the pressure away from the back, knees and lower limbs during movement. When your body is well-aligned, you’ll be putting and sliding with better balance – and you’ll be less likely to twist or overextend your way to an injury.
OrthoSole products aren’t just a Godsend for golfers – they’re used by all kinds of sports men and women who want to reduce the strain they’re placing on their bodies during exercise.
You can read all about the benefits of our insoles for sports here.
