Staying on course: Tips for golfing with joint pain

BY DR. JEREMY GARDNER

Professional golfer Phil Mickelson was preparing to compete in the 2010 U.S. Open when, unexpectedly, his joints started to ache. When the tests came back, Mickelson learned he had psoriatic arthritis. Genetics, the environment, viruses and the body’s immune system are all factors that might cause psoriatic arthritis. Mickelson has been back on his professional golf game for several years, thanks to early diagnosis and treatment.

Golf is a great way to stay active. It’s beneficial for strength, balance, coordination and range of motion. It’s also a popular way to network for business professionals, so staying in the game can be helpful in your professional endeavors. However, many golfers are playing with pain, such as tendinitis, sore muscles and arthritis. Swinging a golf club requires moving at a very high speed in a short amount of time, increasing the risk of injury. Keep in mind that it’s important to properly stretch and warm up before and after a round to reduce pain and injury. Stretching and strengthening can help keep you healthy and improve your game. Golfing affects the entire body. Improper form can affect multiple joints, with special consideration for the lead wrist, elbow, shoulder, lower back, hips and knees. Swing alterations, such as a shorter backswing or proper weight shift, may decrease wear and tear on the body.

Tips for Preventing Injury

• The Lead Wrist - Don’t grip the club in a weak position (thumb down the top of the handle). Instead, rotate your lead hand away from the target about 30 degrees.

• The Lead Elbow - Keep the arm straight and soft, but do not lock it.

• The Lead Shoulder - Turn more, swing less. When your body stops turning, your arms should stop swinging. Adopt this approach to prevent torn cartilage, especially in the rotator cuff.

• The Lead Knee - Promote more turning and less hip sliding by rotating your lead foot 30 degrees toward the target. Make sure the knee shifts in front of the hip early in the downswing.

• The Lower Back - Turn everything in unison. The hips and shoulders should rotate together. A strained lower back is the most common golf injury, even leading to disc disease.

• The Hips - Keep shoulders square to the ground and abdominals fully engaged to provide control. This prevents incorrect body angles and strain on the spine, hips and shoulders.

Next Steps

If you’ve tried these techniques and are still experiencing pain, it might be time to visit the orthopedics department. Experienced orthopedic providers can work with you to understand what’s causing your pain, and how to fix it. This might include physical therapy, or it could be time to consider joint replacement.

Procedures such as anterior approach hip replacement, which is available at Altru and other providers, allows for a smaller incision and less damage to muscles, resulting in less pain and faster recovery. With proper recovery time and physical therapy, you can get back to the links sooner. PB

Dr. Jeremy Gardner Orthopedic surgeon Altru Health System Online: altru.org/gardner Twitter: @altruhealth