I am an avid golfer - play 2-3 times a week and would play / practice more but after a round of golf, my lower back really hurts. I work out 2-3 times a week following a prescribed routine for core development, stretch before I play, use a back/waist support, carry my clubs most of the time, using the lastest technology (provides waist and shoulder support). But nothing seems to keep me from experiencing the back pain after a round.
Having just come across your method and tried the sit stretching techinique, I see a real possibility of making some progress with my lower back. I am curious about your view on the impact of the golf swing on back pain and whether or not you have any recommendations on specific ways to support the back before, during or after a round of golf. I'm also interested on any observations you have about the swing itself. Recently, I have come across a new swing method call "stack and tilt" which purports to reduce the stress on the lower back.
There's lot's of us crazy golfers out there who could benefit from some good advice!
54 min 28 sec ago
09/10/2008 - 8:36pm
I have already met a lot of you crazy golfers out there!! And more than getting rid of their 20 years of back pain or 10 years of sciatic pain, what they get really excited about is that their game has gotten better.
Anything that puts extra length into your spine will help. Stretchsitting and stretchlying will change the baseline length of your erector spinae muscles which will help. The inner corset is essential when you swing or you risk the bad combo of compression+twist.
You're on a good track. Try to make it to one of our Gokhale Method Foundation courses - think of it as an (ridiculously inexpensive) improve-your-golf retreat...
9 years 2 weeks ago
04/01/2015 - 11:07am
Esther, Having been born and raised in India before i came to the US, I love your book and the concepts you advocate. I am one of those crazy golfers as well. However, i am wondering if the Golf Swing is fundamentally bad for the Lower Back, with long term consequences that may be irreversible?
13 years 2 months ago
12/03/2010 - 3:10pm
OK - you've got my attention. What you say makes intuitive sense; I look forward to learning more about this at one of your upcoming introductory courses.
9 years 10 months ago
03/27/2014 - 7:06am
It's all in your body mechanics. The golf swing should be effortless and basically like a compound pendulum, swinging at various angles around various joints at various speeds, and all well coordinated! We try, and I speak from experience here, to make our swings 'good' and end up using all sorts of crazy compensations that put us WAY out of alignment during the swing. The back pain is probably coming from big time hip muscle imbalances. Generally, the rule of thumb i use is to hold the corset and relax everything else while doing so, Then do the swing slowly and without any force--just let the club drop while keeping your elbows pretty locked. The club head momentum will dictate the motion of your joints. easier said than done, and that's why I am NOT a pro golfer. But watch them--it looks like a relaxed pendulum -- all of their extremities do during the swing. very relaxed and unforced.