Hurt back but keep playing golf too soon... why am I so dumb?

[Kmagnuss]

Take a week off, get some relief, go play... pain.

Take two weeks off... get some good relief, go hit some wedges.  This turns into a full on range day.... a little pain... decide to play 18 the next day.  Stuck on pain meds and wincing to move. 

I've been dealing with this for about 4 months now.  If I'd just let myself heal up I'd probably be fine now.

If my friend was pulling the same crap I am, I would tell them how stupid they are and possibly even take their clubs away.  Seriously... is there a trophy somewhere if I keep hurting my back and playing through the pain?

At mid-40's I can't imagine what a disaster I'm going to be in another 5-10 years.  Why is it so hard for me to just take 6-8 weeks off and let myself heal up? 

 

Rant over.

 

-Mag

[Abh159]

I hurt my wrist around this time last year. My options were to take it easy for 4-6 weeks or to go try to play which would have caused more damage resulting in me not being able to play for months or more. 

 

I chose to do something besides golf for 6 weeks. My wrist healed and now I'm all good. I suggest you do the same...

[Jim53]

Well, I am sad to tell you it will only get worst. I have been trying to get back into the exercise routine and everytime i get ready to go I hurt something different...bad back just becomes that morning pain to wake up too, like an old irritating friend. I really don't know how to golf without the back hurting on the 1st tee..

Fast approaching 63 and now it is more like a game, let's see what parts do not hurt this morning. 

[Itsjustagame]

It may depend on the nature/source of your back pain.

At 73 y/o my back muscles get tired and spasm when I ask too much of them.

Spasms occur several times a year, and if I rest 4-7 days I can play again.

That said I just took a quick trip south and played 7 straight days after a summer where I payed over 100 rounds.

Stretching and lots of ice immediately after every time I play help a lot. I keep the ice packs on for at least an hour and sometimes longer, and if necessary will ice my back on days I don't play.

This has happened often enough that I can feel when the muscles are getting tired. Played the second 9  of one of the rounds last week wondering if I could finish, but took an extra club on each shot and swung easily.

Also believe Blue Emu helps.

 

 

 

[uitar9]

I was lucky. I fell and landed on my shoulder and busted up the rotator cuff. Nothing broken or torn just bruised and swollen. couldn't lift my arm. That was last winter and golf was finished.

 

I've been doing the physio suggested exercises for the past year and played around 65 times this past season.

 

Men. We are the worst for looking after ourselves. I think its genetic.

[Roody]

I hurt mine pretty bad in mid-September of this year. For the first few days I could barely move off of the couch, and was on muscle relaxers and painkillers. 

 

I immediately started physical therapy. I didn't touch a golf club for 3 weeks. After 3 weeks I decided to ride along in the cart while my wife and a couple others played. I stuck to putting and some very light chipping. And even the chipping was getting to be too much after a few holes. 

 

I eventually moved up to 1/2 swings, and I would ride along and play a few shots, take a break, play a few more etc. A couple weeks later I was able to play a full round of golf, riding in a cart, and limiting myself to 75% swings (sadly one of those rounds was one of my lowest scores all season because I was hitting a lot of GIR by swinging easy). 

I think it was about 6 weeks after injuring myself that I was finally able to walk 18 holes, and swing near full speed. However, even to this day which is about 9 weeks later, I get very sore the day after walking 18 and it's difficult to play more than a couple days in a row. And I was a guy who did a golf trip to Florida with the boys this summer, and we played 9 rounds of golf in 8 days no problem. 

In short, I think the winter break is going to be good for me. I don't think I'll get back to true 100% without rest.