What to do for golf injuries
Q: What should I do if I injure my back playing golf?
A: For starters, put your clubs away and call it quits for the day. If you try to “tough it out” and finish your game, you will cause further damage to your back due to the twisting of the spine that occurs with each golf swing.
As soon as possible, put an ice pack on your back for about 15 minutes. The ice will help reduce the inflammation of the strained and injured back tissues.
Next, consider making an appointment with a chiropractor (preferably one who is experienced in treating sports injuries), sports physician or physical therapist. These specialists can locate the problem area(s) and determine the type of treatment best suited to stabilize your back. A trip to a health specialist for evaluation may not seem necessary, but it is always better to err on the side of caution. What may seem to you like only a strained muscle might turn out to be significant tissue damage (i.e. torn ligaments, herniated discs, etc.) requiring extensive treatment.
If you are fortunate enough to have only sustained a minor muscle strain, your chiropractor, sports physician or physical therapist can usually work with you to speed the recovery and help to establish when it is safe to resume golfing. In addition, they can give you an exercise program to keep your body fit and flexible in order to prevent injuries when you do get back into the game.