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Playing with back pain?

bogeydad said:
Anyone else working through back issues but still playing? I putted for 15 minutes yesterday and my back was killing me. I’m to the point if I don’t stretch prior to doing anything, I’m in pain. Nothing serious, just muscle related (I hope), so is anyone else playing through ailments?
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Yes. Played with back and neck pain for several years. Then I was transferred to an area that didn't have golf. I still had some back pain but it wasn't aggravated by the twisting that comes with golf. I put my issues to having one leg shorter than the other leg which caused postural issues with the spine and pelvis. The back pain disappeared when I had both knees replaced and changed my whole golf technique. Learning how to walk again presented me with the opportunity to own a safe golf swing.
I don't know if my story will help you except maybe to get your posture checked out by an appropriate health professional.
 
I can tell you that putting was the worst. It got to a point back in 2014 where I couldn't practice putting for more than about 5 minutes with the short stick. That was when I went on Callaway PreOwned and grabbed a 2011 Odyssey 48" White Ice Dart. It's still in my bag and it's going nowhere. And if the USGA ever limits the length of putters I'll still use it.
 
I've been playing with back pain since October. I tweaked it picking my son up and it hasn't fully healed. It has been getting a lot better with weight loss and strength training but I've just delt with it. Nothing structural. My muscles around my spine just knot up and are painful.
 
I could go into my back pain history and amount i exercise but let’s not

Two things to consider

1- I use a prayer grip putting for five years. Let’s me stand more upright. My back does not like traditional grip stance

2- I’ve been doing golf flexibility moves for about 4 years. This is in addition to weight training and cardio. This has helped my golf game and my back

PS- Typing on phone as I lay on ice pack. Do it daily. No back issues of any type today
 
I had a spinal fusion years ago, and have a pretty bad case of arthritis in my lower back and knees. I'm still playing. I take two arthritis strength tylenol prior to the round and apply ICY HOT on my back prior to the round. I'm 76 years old and golf is still enjoyable, but after about 12-13 holes its an effort to finish the round.
 
I jacked up my back recently clearing trees from a field. No way I can play through this - I'm resting, taking meds and waiting it out.
 
This past December I thought I pulled my back muscles while working out at the gym and basically couldn't move the next couple weeks. I was finally able to get and MRI and had a pretty large herniated disc at my L5-S1 and smaller herniation in the L4-5. I ended up getting a steroid shot in the back which definitely helped and after a few weeks was doing PT and getting back to walking and non strenuous exercises and got back to a little bit of swinging and golf practice. Everything was going pretty well but then about 3 weeks ago woke up and couldn't walk or move again. Still in bad pain daily and cannot really sit much and tons of sciatica pain lately, even laying down is not comfortable at this point. Orthopedist referred me to a neurosurgeon and orthopedic surgeon that I am meeting with them at the end of this week to get their opinion on if surgery is required or if they think I can get this to be manageable. Been dealing with this for 3 months or so now and not getting much better.
 
Mine started with sciatica in my late 30s (I feel old when I type that)... Now, in my early 50s, I have a couple of compressed discs and my L5 has slipped forward... I'm sure some of it has to do with the post op pudge I never got rid of and only made worse over the last 4-5 years... But golf is actually okay... It's afterward that hurts a bit and most days, it's not that enjoyable but I can walk and chew gum... So there's that.
 
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Wow....interesting to learn how many of us suffer from the same problem! I'm 78 and a back sufferer since my early 40's. My problem is a deteriorating disc between L4 and L5. When it gets bad, the muscles are tighter than hell, and golf is difficult, if not impossible. Over the years though, I've learned to rely on my chiropractor to adjust me back into shape, and an inversion table, yoga and other stretching to keep me there. This is the time of year when it usually flares up, b/c after being inactive during the winter months, I'm beginning to play and practice, work in the yard, etc., all of which aggravates the back trouble. I went to the chiropractor twice last week, and that made it possible for me to play Monday. I usually walk, but Monday I rode / walked every other hole to make sure I could finish. Using all of the above strategies, my back will get stronger, and I'll make it through the season no problem.... Good luck to everybody who has commented !!!!!
 
Chef23 said:
I have a back issue that nobody can figure out what it is. It has been an issue for more than 10 years. Best anyone can figure out now is that it is tied to issues in my right hip. It appears to be muscular. I have had multiple MRIs (one of which found a tumor on my pancreas which was a great catch) and they don’t show anything.

I do daily strengthening, mobility and core work. When I do that I am pretty much ok. When I don’t I hurt. It isn’t debilitating but it definitely is an issue.
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Do you do stretches specifically for the piriformis? You probably already do, but if not, look them up. The piriformis connects from the lower back, through the glute, to the hip. Lots of back issues are misdiagnosed as such, and are piriformis muscle issues in need of a "release."
 
If I waited until I was pain free to play golf I would never play. Torn left shoulder labrum (will get it fixed eventually), left knee pain from surgery years ago, right left hip flexor from torn labrum and repair (stretching helps this) and advanced facet issues in lower back. It is what it is and I just deal with it. That and taking some Advil before the round.


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I just went 9 days with some excruciating lower back pain as I have some issues from when I was a paratrooper in the Military. Ibuprofen, muscle relaxers, heating pad at night ice during the day. Thank God its still too miserable here in Ohio so can't get out and golf just yet. On my 9th day of recuperating I did for the 1st time go to the driving range and surprisingly I was very please with the outcome/still sore but mostly stiffness now. There was no way I even thought about touching my clubs when my back gave out for at least a week so I just hope that will be my only flare up for the year. I'am getting older and its harder to heal and so far I have avoided surgery as I take breaks, stretch a little and only get out to play maybe 3 times a week maybe 36 hole a week. Its not any fun as I worry at times is this going to cause me eventually to hang it up. If it is you better pull the plug for as long as I'm not on my death bed I'm golfing.
stretching british open GIF
 
WMac19 said:
Do you do stretches specifically for the piriformis? You probably already do, but if not, look them up. The piriformis connects from the lower back, through the glute, to the hip. Lots of back issues are misdiagnosed as such, and are piriformis muscle issues in need of a "release."
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I do but I am going to look into it again. Thanks for the reminder.
 
My right-side piriformis is absolutely lit up right now. I'm limping everywhere. Usually, that happens when I hit way too many practice balls. I had dropped my practice sessions down to a more manageable load, and I had gone for months pain free, but something ticked it off recently.

Weirdly enough, it does not affect my golf game on the course that much. It just affects everything in my life outside of the course. I can't run at all, but I can hit a 7 iron about the same as usual.

Ibuprofen is one of the best treatments for it. It's an inflamed muscle, so anti-inflammatories really help knock it down. Stretching helps a bit, but sadly, the only "fix" I've found is to just not play golf for 2 or 3 weeks.
 
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TxAggie2018 said:
My right-side piriformis is absolutely lit up right now. I'm limping everywhere. Usually, that happens when I hit way too many practice balls. I had dropped my practice sessions down to a more manageable load, and I had gone for months pain free, but something ticked it off recently.

Weirdly enough, it does not affect my golf game on the course that much. It just affects everything in my life outside of the course. I can't run at all, but I can hit a 7 iron about the same as usual.

Ibuprofen is one of the best treatments for it. It's an inflamed muscle, so anti-inflammatories really help knock it down. Stretching helps a bit, but sadly, the only "fix" I've found is to just not play golf for 2 or 3 weeks.
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The piriformis is a dumb little muscle that can get pissed off easily. I hate it.

Ibuprofen, heat, food, compression, and sleep is about all you can do.
 
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