 Summer Sports - How to get the best out of you sport without injury!!
Golf
 The golf swing places a good deal of stress through the tissues of the lower back. Unsurprisingly it is very common for golfers to experience low back pain (LBP) during or more often following a round of golf.
Should LBP be accepted as par for the course or can something be done to remedy the problem?
It is a fact that amateur golfers put more strain on the lumbar spine compared to the professional, despite less club head speed being delivered at impact. This suggests a better coordinated swing and perhaps better conditioning reduces stress on the lower back. Warming up helps to prepare the tissues by increasing circulation and reducing intra-muscular viscosity. A warm up routine for golf is available on request from the clinic.
A stronger back and particularly better conditioned deep abdominal muscles helps to protect the joints and their ligaments from the most damaging stresses. There is much evidence showing reduction of back pain, as well as improved performance, with core stability programmes.
How the back is cared for following a round or practice session also has a significant influence on the development of LBP. Keeping mobile and regular light stretching will assist in the “warm down” of the tissues while preventing joints from stiffening up. If driving home or taking a ’comfortable seat after a round, watch your posture, it is easy to take a slumped unsupported position, which puts your lower back under a relatively high load. If it is the hours or even days after a game which trouble you the most then pay closer attention to your warming down regime.
Tennis
Prevention is better than cure. The most common problems often associated with tennis are “tennis elbow”, Achilles tendon problems and calf strains.
Tennis elbow or lateral epicondylitis starts as a strain to the tendons which operate the wrist and forearm. The strain usually occurs from the back hand swing or can be from gripping a racket handle which is either too big or too small. To prevent tennis elbow from occurring, make sure your racket grip is the correct size, no more and no less than a fingers width gap between finger tips and palm when holding the racket. Also getting some advice from a tennis coach on the correct method for performing a back hand swing.
Pain over the Achilles tendon or a painful calf are usually the result of having a strain. In the worst cases there can be some tearing of muscle fibres leading to a severe painful spot in the calf. Wearing the correct footwear plays a major part in preventing these injuries. If there is insufficient shock absorption or poor support around the foot it will change the mechanics of the lower leg and cause a strain. Correct footwear means wearing a trainer that is suitable for the type of surface being played on. The harder the surface the more support and shock absorption required. Also stretching all the muscles in the legs and the groin will allow a greater degree of flexibility of the lower limb, allowing sudden change in movement.
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