New back issues...help!!

[mcc0819]

I've been playing for 6 years now and have never had back issues.  SS is 116-119 and am fairly athletic.  Recently I played a round and the middle part of my lower back has been killing me.  I thought I may have slipped a disc.  Luckily my wife is a DPT and I asked her to take a look.  According to her I have lumbar hyper mobility.  She says its common in golfers that the lumbar area has more mobility than the rest of your back.  So I'm on a lumber/core strengthening schedule to keep that area tight and supported.  It's annoying because its forced me to hang up the clubs for now (even with a new launch monitor that just came in 🥺).  It's been a few weeks and it has improved but not enough to swing clubs yet.  Has anyone ever experienced this?  If so, what did you do to rehab your way back?  When you were able to swing again, were you able to swing without fear of tweaking your back again?

[milesgiles]

pretty common amongst higher swing speeds. At 47 Im proceeding Very cautiously at improving mine.. any minor tweak Im stopping and reassessing immediately. Ive found restricting my hip turn certainly improves speed.. but it gets blamed for all the guys on tour with bad backs as well so..

 

I do some moderate strength training twice a week. Cannot hurt if you do it properly.

[mgoblue83]

Need consistent strength and flexibility work. Focus on full range of motion squats and deadlifts (not super heavy) and static abdominal exercises like planks (seriously do planks every day). Stretch your hips, hamstrings, glutes, and calves daily. 

 

Walking 30+ min per day is also fantastic for lower back stability. 

[glk]

Plenty of things in the swing motion can lead to lower back issues.   aside from exercise the best way to address them is to improve your motion to take the stress off the lower back.    Just a few of the things that can lead to back issues: restricted hip turn, too much trail side bend in downswing, early extension.      With your stated swing speed the amount of force you are creating over 6 years of playing might just be the tip of the iceberg.

 

I once had really bad lower back issues - I was instructed to keep my belt buckle alway pointing at the ball (back in the day of the X-factor) - in two seasons I destroyed my game and back -  that instruction went out the window - still used to have minor back discomfort as you describe which was due to early extension - I significantly improved my swing so that including a better setup, a steep to shallow shaft pattern, a way better pivot with unrestricted, tilted hips and shoulder turn.     Haven't had a golf related back issue since.

[Gsea]

52 minutes ago, mcc0819 said:

I've been playing for 6 years now and have never had back issues.  SS is 116-119 and am fairly athletic.  Recently I played a round and the middle part of my lower back has been killing me.  I thought I may have slipped a disc.  Luckily my wife is a DPT and I asked her to take a look.  According to her I have lumbar hyper mobility.  She says its common in golfers that the lumbar area has more mobility than the rest of your back.  So I'm on a lumber/core strengthening schedule to keep that area tight and supported.  It's annoying because its forced me to hang up the clubs for now (even with a new launch monitor that just came in 🥺).  It's been a few weeks and it has improved but not enough to swing clubs yet.  Has anyone ever experienced this?  If so, what did you do to rehab your way back?  When you were able to swing again, were you able to swing without fear of tweaking your back again?

See a DPT 🙂 or ask us range wizards

[mcc0819]

6 minutes ago, Gsea said:

See a DPT 🙂 or ask us range wizards

No offense, but i literally said my wife is a DPT.  Just asking for other's experience if you have had the issue before.

[Gsea]

Just now, mcc0819 said:

No offense, but i literally said my wife is a DPT.  Just asking for other's experience if you have had the issue before.

i know, hence my smart a** comment

[Mono]

lumbar hyper mobility - since your wife is a DPT - i feel like there are very few people on this board that should offer any opinion,  I'll include myself in that group.... that said

 

I'm happy to be corrected - but anything with hyper mobility should not be stretched - you likely lack mobility above and below where the pain is - so hips and thoracic spine, if the area where the pain is is hyper mobile basically mean the 'infrastructure' in that area is stretched out so ligaments - once a ligament is stretched out there is no putting the genie back in the bottle it's too long and won't provide the stability that it is intended too (not dissimilar to someone that dislocates their shoulder)  - the good news is the muscles in the hyper mobile area can and will provide support - with the pain you can wind up with can become a chicken or an egg issue - you have pain so it's hard to strengthen, and you have too much mobility where you need strength - most people treat the pain first, then strengthen 

 

the lumbar spines structure isn't built for rotation - if i recall lumbar spine is only able to rotate 15 degrees due to the structure, the lumber spine is built for flexion and extension, the thoracic spine is built for rotation, as are the hips

 

for mobility - i've recently had a lot of luck with MAT - you can check out bryson's videos with greg roskoff - it is def a different take on mobility vs the usual stretching paradigm 

 

i'll agree completely with glk technique commentary - glk's comments on this board are some of the best - he's alway spot on

 

now that i re read you original post - i'm not a high speed player - i max out 100-105 on good driver swings, i hurt my hips and had low back pain - once my hips were sorted my back pain stopped - and i literally never think about it when i'm playing/ practicing 

 

 

 

 

[Gsea]

44 minutes ago, Mono said:

lumbar hyper mobility - since your wife is a DPT - i feel like there are very few people on this board that should offer any opinion,  I'll include myself in that group.... that said

 

100%. 

[golfarb1]

Once the pain goes away

 

 

yoga strengthening exercises

prone cobra

locust 

Superman’s on a bosu ball

Edited December 6, 2021 by golfarb1

[Barfolomew]

You're wife is a DPT..... ya well Phil Mickelson is my cousin and I get free playing lessons.... I got nothing, you win 🐫

[hammersia]

I’d agree that few people should comment on this, however I would also consider myself as having sufficient expertise - Er Eric Goodman Foundation Exercises on YouTube, a tough 14 minute body weight exercise program, is your solution. 

[DFS PFD]

If your wife is a DPT why on earth are you asking a internet forum for advice? Back pain is highly personal and presents/reacts differently for each and every person. Your wife's worst assessment as a Doctor of Physical Therapy will likely be better than the best internet golf forum assessment short of a miracle. 

[skraly]

I highly recommend this book.

https://www.amazon.com/Back-Mechanic-Stuart-McGill-2015-09-30/dp/B01FKSGJYC/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3AISLM53ZUHNO&keywords=stuart+mcgill+back+mechanic&qid=1638845456&sprefix=Stuart+mcg%2Caps%2C179&sr=8-2

Following it has completely fixed my back issues.

[liquorandpoker]

This will sound crazy and you must proceed slowly w strict form, but....

 

Deadlifting and hamstring stretches helped my back in a huge way.  Reduced posterior chain tightness and greatly enhanced posterior chain strength.

 

The biggest problem is when people try it with poor form and / or too much weight.

 

I'm not sure if specifically relevant to your issue.

 

Good luck man!

[mcc0819]

17 hours ago, DFS PFD said:

If your wife is a DPT why on earth are you asking a internet forum for advice? Back pain is highly personal and presents/reacts differently for each and every person. Your wife's worst assessment as a Doctor of Physical Therapy will likely be better than the best internet golf forum assessment short of a miracle. 

Is it wrong to ask if anyone else experienced this and how they recovered?  A golf specific forum with thousands of users? Of course I'll take my wife's advice over some basic bob's on this forum.  I don't think it hurts to see what's out there or what other people with a similar injury has gone through.  The golf swing and back issues have some relation so it made sense to ask on a golf specific forum. 

[Nykt1000]

I've had lower back issues on and off throughout the years and have been to different physios multiple times. 

 

Heres some things from a golf specific physio who travels pga and euro tour.

 

Couple things that have helped. Lower back slightly arched at address. There's a lot of stress on your back during a swing. Important to keep it protected by having the back arched instead of tucked under. 

 

Core exercises as you've mentioned. Ab wheel is good.

 

Glute activation exercises. Band around knees and variations of crab walks.

 

Massage ball your glutes.

 

All these things have helped me and would be beneficial to you too