Page 30 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 44

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Daniel Waugh, Local Physiotherapist, Discusses

Golf Injuries and How to Prevent Them

By Molly Kett
before playing the sport, in order swing.”

to make sure the body is flexible
His main advice when it comes
and that the muscles are able to go
to advice for golfers is to not let an
through the range of motion and the
strength required to actually carry injury go without treatment.
out the swing appropriately. “If you are having trouble with
your swing or any pain while
In order to analyze a golf injury,

Waugh screens the patient’s body golfing, go talk to your health care

first to make sure he knows how provider and have your movement
that particular body is moving. screened. There is a very high
likelihood that the issue you are
“A lot of the time that will tell
having with your swing is stemming
us why they’re getting hurt in their
from a dysfunctional movement
golf swing,” says Waugh. “We
pattern,” says Waugh. “You should
relate that back to the golf swing to
see where and why the body may be always base your swing on your
failing in their golf swing and then own physical capabilities and
usually there’s a high correlation movement patterns. This will result
between the patient’s injury and in a higher likelihood of staying
what we see with their movement injury free.”

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wenty-seven-year-old Daniel teeing off, one of those golfers is
TWaugh, a local Titleist golfi ng with an injury whether

Performance Institute Certified that’s recreational or even up to

Practitioner (certified under professional and PGA levels,” says
FitForeGolf), is a Certified Strength Waugh.

and Conditioning Specialist However, with recreational
and has just finished his sports golfers it’s not as often that golf

physiotherapy certification. With is causing the injuries but rather
plenty of experience under his belt,
they’re trying to play golf while
he has some terrific advice and

having a pre-existing injury, with
information for all golfers both
golf making it worse.
casual and professional.
Waugh says most golf injuries
In terms of golf injuries, Waugh are preventable.
typically sees a real range.
“One of the big things for golfers
“Statistics will show that low
is to make sure they actually have
back pain is the number one injury an adequate warm-up and to make
within golf but you can really see sure that their body is prepared to
a little bit of everything. Usually handle the stresses of the rounds
it changes from male to female as
and being able to be strong enough
well; low backs are pretty consistent
and mobile enough to actually
between the two. In female golfers
handle what the golf swing requires
you’ll tend to see a little more wrist from the body,” says Waugh. “The
and elbow injuries and then in male biggest thing would be parking
golfers you tend to see a little bit
their car, unloading their clubs,
more shoulder and elbow; and hips
heading to the first tee and teeing

kind of come close behind both of
off. A golfer’s more likely to get
those for males and females,” says injured off of the first few holes out

Waugh.
of anywhere else and that’s because
Waugh says golf injuries are very there’s really poor warm-up habits
common. with golfers from amateurs to pro.

“The statistics in North America Waugh suggests general
is for every foursome that’s strengthening and conditioning