STAPLETON: Keep your golf game enjoyable

A round of golf can do wonders for the body and the spirit. Don’t let it do damage, too.

The sudden torque and twisting involved in driving a golf ball can put quite a strain on the spine. Golfers also can suffer from hand tenderness and numbness, shoulder, elbow and knee pain.

There are a number of steps you can take to avoid injury:

• Take some lessons and learn the proper technique for the game’s various phases. Striking the ball correctly will not only lower your score but also will lower the stress on your body.
• Exercise to strengthen the muscles in your back, legs and forearms. Extra strength will give your joints more support and lower risk of injury. Talk with a chiropractor about the types of exercises you can do easily at home.
• Do a little stretching before you go out on the course and repeat the routine when you’re done, when your muscles are nice and limber.
• If your golf game is causing you physical discomfort, you will benefit from a visit to a chiropractor. Most PGA members, incidentally, get regular chiropractic treatment. It seems to be working for them.          

Preventing back pain

Coincidentally, one of the best things you can do to prevent or eliminate back pain is to exercise.

Both an inactive lifestyle and being overweight contribute to back pain. Exercise benefits you in so many ways, such as lowering blood pressure, helping you maintain a healthy weight, lowering your risk for diabetes, and the list goes on.

Orthotics can help you maintain a healthy spine through the use of spinal pelvic stabilizers. Devices that you wear in your shoes, stabilizers align all three arches of your foot to provide a balanced foundation for your spine and body.

It is estimated that 80 percent of people will experience back pain at some time in their life. Because your back is a complicated structure of bones, joints, muscles, and ligaments, there are many different factors that can play a part in your back pain.

It is possible to irritate joints, sprain ligaments, or strain muscles in your back– which can all cause pain. Poor posture, obesity, and psychological stress can also lead to or worsen back pain.

Doctors of chiropractic can help reduce, eliminate and prevent back pain. Using their hands, they manually adjust the joints and tissue in your back to restore joint mobility, relieving pain and muscle tightness.

Maintaining a healthy spine will help keep you healthier overall by keeping your spine free of misalignments that could interfere with your nervous system, the center for all your mental activity.

Doctors of chiropractic also can provide you with dietary, nutritional and lifestyle counseling.

Dr James Stapleton is an owner of Shelby County Chiropractic. You may reach him at 633-1073 or visit www.shelbycountychiropractic.com.