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Last week, Twin Cities’ iSpine Pain Physicians celebrated National Golf Month by creating awareness of five common golf injuries. The back pain specialists mentioned that stretching not only prevents overexertion but also strengthens the joints, protecting them from future damage. But, what specific exercises do they recommend?

Here, they outline three that all golfers – from novices to experts – with chronic discomfort should know.

3 Exercises That Fight Golf-Related Back Pain

1. Side Planks

back painYour core muscles help your pelvis, hips, lower back, and abdomen work in harmony. Therefore, they improve balance and reduce spinal stress, both on and off the green. To strengthen your core, add side planks to your weekly workouts.

Start on one side, feet stacked together and forearm positioned below your shoulder. Then, contract your core and raise your hips until you form a straight line with your body. For a more advanced stretch, raise your top hand toward the ceiling. Hold for 15 seconds, release, and switch sides. Repeat the exercise three times.

2. Openers

As the name suggests, openers open your lower back, promoting flexibility and increasing range of motion. Thus, they are a driving force of chronic pain relief as well as a valuable addition to your backswing.

Begin the stretch by laying on your side. Rather than extending your legs and stacking your feet, as you did with side planks, bend your knees at approximately 90 degrees. Extend both arms. Now, raise and rotate the top arm until it rests on the other side of your body. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds. Then, roll over and repeat on the opposite side.

3. Quadruped Rocking

chronic pain reliefQuadruped rocking targets the hips as well as the entire length of your spine. Like openers and side planks, it fosters stability and proper posture. But, according to iSpine’s back pain specialists, it also prepares your body for the repetitive bending and squatting that often accompanies golf.

To do this exercise, start on all fours, with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Draw your stomach upward while still maintaining the natural curve of your lumbar region. Drop backward. You should feel a slight stretch in your lower back and hips. Repeat 10 to 15 times.

As both passionate golfers and board-certified back pain specialists, iSpine Pain Physicians wishes everyone a fun, safe National Golf Month. Visit their website for more on these pain-reducing stretches as well as other non-invasive treatment options. To schedule an appointment at iSpine’s Chaska, Crystal, Delano, or Maple Grove, MN locations, call the chronic pain relief center at (763) 201-8191 today.

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