Most golfers will either suffer a back injury or be restricted in playing golf due to back, neck,
shoulder, elbow, or wrist pain. Improving mobility and muscle balance can help prevent these
problems. Good postural control, spinal mobility and muscle balance will not only improve your
swing but prevent injuries.
There are millions of Golfers in Great Britain and the average age of golfers who play at least once a
week is 63. As the population ages, golf is likely to become an increasingly popular leisure time
activity because it allows a variety of individuals, regardless of skill, gender, or age to play
simultaneously. A survey of 163 British amateur golfers reported that 57% had sustained golf related
injuries in a single year. Overuse is one of the main causes of injury. In 2003 Gosheger showed that
90% of back and upper limb injuries were related to overuse. They also suggested that the risk of
injury increased if 4+ rounds were played or over 200 balls were hit each week. It is likely that as the
number of golfers increases (especially when mixed with an aging population), the number of golf
related injuries may also be expected to rise.
Like all sports golf is part technical, part tactical, part mental and part physical.
Specific technical problem (“I keep slicing my shot”)
Specific injury or pain (“my ankle hurts following a round of golf”)
Specific weakness or movement dysfunction (“I get a painful lower back after a session at the driving
range”)
If you optimise the physical component, the other areas can vastly improve.
Limited performance can be due to:
Lack of awareness or poor co-ordination/motor patterning
Decreased range of movement
Deficit in basic control of individual joints or body segments
Decreased endurance, strength, and power
Woolton Physiotherapy Clinic has many years of experience treating local and international sports
persons and has a team of specialist Physiotherapists.
The assessment and treatment techniques of golfing injuries are grounded in sound biomechanical
and physiological principles.
Our sport physiotherapists understand the movements and demands required by the body to
achieve a pain free and effective golf swing. The major components of the kinetic chain involved in
the golf swing (the pelvis, thorax, and arms) can be individually assessed to determine if there is an
optimal transfer of load from the ground to the ball. Any identified dysfunction or underlying
condition can be effectively treated with various manual therapy techniques and rehabilitative
exercises to restore pain free function and control. Our evidenced based practice delivers highly
effective results.
A personalised program will be given to you to address any problem areas. This program can be
reviewed, and progressions given to you as your game and body movement/control improves.
Discounts available for local clubs.