Golf and your spine

[Alastair]

This is from the Alphaklinik web site


Playing golf, your back and how they can live in harmony


Playing golf is one of the best ways of keeping fit, but unfortunately more than a few players suffer from a very particular handicap: back problems.

Walking, swivelling the trunk and driving the ball � the essential three-dimensional movements of this sport - aren�t actually responsible for back problems, provided they are executed accurately and well. The pivotal point is located from the third to the fifth lumbar vertebrae. The accomplished professional player will hardly ever feel that this sport affects his or her back. However, beginners, amateurs, or golfers who don�t have a good driving technique will often execute strokes that pose a real problem for the spine, potentially causing pain that may occur immediately or as a delayed reaction. The energy required for these quick surges of muscle power is referred to in medical terms as aerobic force. The long periods of physical exertion on the golf course put a further strain on the intervertebral disks and the vertebral body. Playing golf can also exacerbate existing damage to the back to such an extent that it becomes an acute case needing the attention of a spinal column specialist.


Muscles � certainly � but in the right place


Underdeveloped muscles along the spine can be a substantial risk. Large and attractive muscles around the torso and the buttocks are no guarantee for a strong and well-supported spine. It is actually the small groups of muscles called the lumbar extensors in the lower back that are of vital importance to the golfer. These muscles, located in the lumbar vertebral region, are usually too weak. A lack of exercise and the one-dimensional use of the body in the workplace are often amongst the reasons why golfers love to spend their free time on the golf course. And that is where it happens: an intervertebral disk, already weakened by insufficient blood circulation, perhaps with a tear in the outer ring, is put under increased mechanical pressure which it cannot withstand. The outer ring tears further and a part of the buffering intervertebral disk is displaced. Still on the golf course, the player experiences a strange, numb sensation in the back. The problem can occur equally around the neck where the finest little vertebral bones are, or in the more robust lumbar areas. It can be hours, even days before the numb sensation develops into acute stinging pains. Modern examination methods such as nuclear magnetic resonance imaging usually produce the same classic finding: a herniated disk.

Golfers discuss their experiences involving back problems and the Alpha Klinic for Knee and Spine Surgery in Munich is often quoted as a lifesaver. The clinic is a worldwide leader in the area of minimally invasive endoscopic surgery.