Men’s Golf Major

The Open Championship, also known as British Open, is one of the four major golf tournaments. It is the oldest continually run championship in the world of sports. The championship is held annually on various courses in Scotland, England; however, one occasion is held in Northern Ireland. The first Open Championship was played in Scotland on October 17^th, 1860, at Prestwick Golf Club. Eight golf professionals participated in this championship and played three rounds of Prestwick’s 12-hole course in one day. However, the inaugural tournament was won by Willie Park, Sr.

Men’s golf major: The 150^th Open Championship

In 2022, The 150^th Open Championship or British Open is going to be held at the Old Course St. Andrews, Scotland. Almost 156 players are participating in this Championship. The Championship will begin on July 10^th and last on July 17^th, 2022. The 150^th Open Championship is organized by The R&A – one of the governing bodies of golf from across the world. It has been reported that The R&A has received more than 1.3 million applications for 150^th Open Championship, with a record-breaking 290,000 fans expected to attend the old course during this Open Championship.

Golf is one of the most thrilling and interesting sports, and people from across the world show their interest in playing golf. This 150^th Open Championship will surely allure the golf lovers to start their new sessions. The number of fans is getting increased to watch the open championship will surely encourage the generation to start their golf session. However, here we would like to add some precautions that flawed techniques can cause serious injuries to golfers. Remember that the injuries are not limited to new golf players; professional players may also get injured at one point or another. The rest of the article is about the common injuries possible in golf. As well as this, you can get the possible preventive measures suggested by experts, helping prevent the chances of injuries. 

Common Injuries in Golf

The following are the most common injuries that can occur in both professional as well as amateur golf players:

1) Back injuries

There are several reasons that can cause back injuries in golfers. Out of them, two leading causes are poor posture and incorrect swing techniques. During the forward swing in golf, bending too far to the trailing side exerts excessive force on the trailing side. As well as this, rotating the body beyond its range of motion increases the risk of injuries. Moreover, weak core muscles can also increase the risk of injuries. You should stop playing golf whenever you feel back pain, stiffness, bruising, and difficulty standing or moving. 

How to prevent back injuries in golf

The following are the best preventive measures to reduce the chances of back injuries when playing golf:

• Perform warm-ups before the game. Jumping jacks and stretching exercises are suitable for warm-up. You can also perform any other exercise suggested by your trainers.
• Improve your swing techniques during practice and competition. The best way to improve your swing is to keep the spine upright, bend forward at the hip, bend slightly at the knees, and rotate your body accurately.
• You need to limit the forces on the lower back.
• Take frequent breaks ad avoid overuse or excess practice.
• Wear protective gear, such as back support braces to reduce pressure on the spine.
• Never forget to cool down your body after ending every session.

2) Rotator cuff injury

Rotator cuff – a network of muscles helps connect the upper arm to the shoulder blade. Several golf activities, such as intense stress and repetitive motions, can damage the associated tendons or muscles, causing a partial or complete tear to the rotator cuff muscles. Golfers during the game or after the session may feel recurrent pain, cracking sound, limited shoulder range of motion, shoulder instability, and muscle weakness when they hurt their shoulders. 

How to prevent Rotator cuff injury in golf

Experts suggest performing the given actions to prevent the chances of shoulder injuries in golfers:

• Warming up your body before every session is essential. You can perform any exercise your trainer suggests to warm up your body.
• Improve the swinging techniques and posture as flawed swing techniques and poor posture can put extra pressure on the shoulder joints, causing injuries.  
• Perform stretching exercises, helping strengthen your body.
• Wearing shoulder support braces help reduce the chances of injuries during practice.  

3) Wrist injuries

Overuse, repetitive movements, improper swing techniques, and poor posture can cause injuries to the golfer’s wrists. One of the most common wrist injuries among golfers is wrist sprains. The risk of a wrist sprain is high when golfers strike a rock or root during their shots or swing. It is a very painful condition that can keep you away from the golf course. Usually, a wrist sprain may result in pain. However, golfers may also feel swelling, tenderness, bruising, loss of motion and weakness around their wrists, depending upon the injury intensity.

How to prevent wrist injuries in golf

Golfers are suggested to follow the given preventive measures to prevent wrist injuries:

• Take time to stretch your hands, arms, or wrists before practice and competition.
• Take time to learn proper swinging techniques to keep your wrists and hands safe during practice or match.
• Wearing the wrist support braces keep your wrist in a neutral position, helping prevent overuse injuries.
• Avoid hitting the rocks and ground during shots.

4) Elbow tendinitis

Elbow tendinitis, also known as golfers’ elbow or medial epicondylitis, occurs due to damage to the tendons or muscles controlling your fingers or wrists. The damage is usually caused by repeated or excess stress. Overuse or improper swinging techniques can put stress on your elbow. As well as this, hitting the ground or rock during shots can also develop elbow tendinitis. You may feel pain, burning sensation, and tenderness around your elbow. Moreover, swelling, instability, and weakness are some other symptoms of elbow tendinitis.

How to prevent elbow tendinitis in golf

The following preventive measures help you reduce the chances of elbow tendinitis:

• Strengthen your forearm muscles
• Stretch your muscles before every activity
• Use the right equipment
• Wear elbow support braces to prevent excess stress, preventing overuse injuries

5) Knee injuries

Certain reasons can cause knee pain when practising or playing golf. However, the common reasons causing knee pain may include knee meniscus tear and knee ligament injuries. These injuries may result from overuse and improper twisting or rotating motions of the knees. Golfers may feel knee pain, swelling, heat sensation, redness, tenderness, difficulty bending, and problem when bearing weight when they damage their knees during golfing.

How to prevent knee injuries in golf

Golfers need to adopt the following preventive measures to reduce the chances of knee injuries on the field:

• Warm up your body correctly before every session
• Stay hydrated while playing golf
• Wearing the best knee support braces helps reduce knee injuries.
• Practice good body mechanics while swinging, squatting, and bending.

 Conclusion

Indeed golf is an exciting game, but it can bring potential damage to your body when playing carelessly. The injuries mentioned above will help you know what causes injuries during golfing. As well as this, the given preventive measures will surely help you avoid the risk of injuries during practice and competition.