SPORTS AND GOLF INJURIES

Sports Injuries

There are two types of sport injuries, acute and overuse

Acute Sport Injuries

These are sudden traumatic injuries such as twisting your knee or ankle. These injuries commonly involve muscle, tendon, or ligament tears. Pain occurs instantly, is often intense and may stop you playing. The injured area may swell up and it will be painful to move. Physiotherapy treatment will provide comprehensive rehabilitation programmes individually designed to get you back to your sport as quickly as possible.

Overuse Sports Injuries

Overuse injuries are more common. They start with the gradual onset of an ache or pain with no specific injury involved. Symptoms can be ignored for a while but they slowly get worse until eventually the pain becomes bad enough to stop you doing your sport. There is no injury as such that needs to heal but a part of the body is being overloaded and cannot stand the strain. Although anti-inflammatory medication and a period of rest give temporary relief, the problem recurs on returning to your activity. The physiotherapist's job is to diagnose the underlying reason for these problems, devise a treatment and rehabilitation programme and give preventative advice to stop the injury recurring

Golf Injuries

Lower back, elbows and wrist injuries are the most common golf injuries followed by shoulders and knees. Injuries are usually caused by overuse rather than a single traumatic episode. This means the pain comes on gradually.

Causes

Incorrect technique such as a faulty grip or swing

Carrying an existing injury which is then exacerbated by golf.

Predisposing pathology such as arthritis.

Muscle imbalance from work related postures causing weak muscle groups

Lack of warm up

Bending over to pick up your golf bag

Solutions

Physiotherapy can analyse if you have any physical limitations which may cause technical problems with your swing.

Even if you are only complaining of a minor ache while playing or you feel pain the day after a game, this is the ideal time to address the problem by consulting your physiotherapist to diagnose the cause and/or speak to your Golf Pro to see if your technique may be causing the problem. At this stage problems can usually be sorted without you having to stop playing

If you are feeling the pain while you are playing, if it is coming on earlier and earlier in the round, becoming more intense or if it is not settling as quickly the next day then consult a physiotherapist immediately. At this stage it may be necessary to take a break from playing while it is being treated.

If you have very long standing chronic problems then it may be possible to adapt your technique to enable you to keep playing. The Golf Pro will help be able to help you with this.

Your Physiotherapist and Golf Pro can work together to solve your problem.

Our primary goal is to either keep you playing or get you back to playing as soon as possible.

Golf Professional: www.paulmitchellpga.co.uk