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Backaches and sciatica image.

For many, a relaxing game of golf is the perfect way to spend a sunny Saturday with three of your best friends. But, when Sunday or Monday morning rolls around, some feel pronounced pain in the lower back. Can one of our favorite leisure time activities actually cause lower back pain?

According to the PGA (Professional Golfers' Association), lower back pain is a frequent complaint of professional golfers whose injuries are generally the result of playing too much. The same problem affects weekend golfers, but for a completely different reason. Their injuries are often caused by playing too infrequently!

Many weekend golfers lack proper swing technique and have no type of regular physical activity built into their weekly schedules. Inexperienced golfers tend to swing harder and the muscles used in this type of swing get overly stressed. An improper swing causes tension on the lower back. Investing in some golf lessons to learn proper swing mechanics could potentially lessen this risk.

Engaging in a regular walking exercise program or aerobic activity that benefits the entire body is also helpful in preventing lower back pain. In addition, older golfers (and younger ones too!) need to be aware of their endurance levels when they play. As a golfer gets tired, swing mechanics worsen, leading to more spinal stress and stiffness and increased lower back pain.

It’s interesting to note that even the most avid golfers obtain regular chiropractic care to improve their game. Pro golfer Tiger Woods states that lifting weights and visiting his chiropractor regularly have made him a better golfer. If chiropractic care works for Tiger, it could improve your golf game too!

Dr. Erica Asks some important questions of interest to North Houston residents - Chiropractor North Houston Dr. Erica Asks...

What's the difference between sick care and health care?
Sick care is largely about relieving or suppressing symptoms. Health care is about improving performance. While sick care is about how you feel, health care is about how you function. Sick care is what you do to treat an obvious problem, and health care is what you do to avoid the problem and advance your well-being.
What is the purpose of pain?
Pain prompts many North Houston folks to begin chiropractic care. But pain isn't the problem! Pain is just how your body alerts you that a limit has been reached (or exceeded), that something isn't working right and that some type of change is needed. As a chiropractor, my job is finding the underlying cause and recommending the changes needed to bring your body back into balance.