SATURDAY, May 3, 2003 (HealthDayNews) -- If you're thinking of taking up golf, you should prepare your body for some pretty taxing moves.
A golf swing creates a lot of torque and tension in the lower back and can lead to soreness and stiffness.
The good news is that a little limbering up before tee time can help you avoid back and other muscle problems and get your game off on the right foot.
As you get older, you lose range of motion in your body, which is a particularly bad thing for golfers. Tightened muscles lead to shorter drives, so you must increase your flexibility if you want to play -- and live -- comfortably.
Troy Husbey, a physical therapist with the HealthSouth Sports Medicine Van, recommends the following:
- Warm up on a treadmill or exercise bike, or walk or jog to get your heart rate up.
- Follow this by stretching the lower extremities (legs and buttocks), upper extremities (arms and shoulder girdle), and spine (neck, thoracic and lower back).
- Go to the driving range and begin to warm up with a pitching wedge, and work up to the driver, before ending up at the putting green.
- Just before tee time, do some more gentle upper and lower extremities stretching.
Simply hitting balls at the driving range won't increase your mobility or fix your tight muscles. You need a stretching program to find comfort on the golf course -- and afterward.
More information
To learn more about a better, healthier game of golf, visit HealthSouth Golf.
