Golf-related lower back injuries: an epidemiological survey.
OBJECTIVE
This study describes the playing characteristics of golfers who had an injury to their lower back in the course of play or practice in the previous year (12 months).


METHODS
A retrospective survey was mailed to members of randomly selected golf clubs across Australia. Statistical methods used included 2-sample t test to compare means of 2 independent populations and the chi(2) test to examine the association between categorical variables/factors in the study.


RESULTS
Of 1634 Australian amateur golfers surveyed, 17.6% of golfers sustained at least 1 injury in the previous year. The lower back accounted for 25% of all golf-related injuries in the previous year, making the lower back the most common site of injury. The golfer with a golf-related lower back injury was likely to have a previous history of lower back injury, while the injury had a progressive onset compared with an acute single onset. The follow-through phase of the golf swing was reported to be associated with the greatest likelihood of injury compared with other phases of the swing. Most of the injured golfers received treatment of their injury with a general practitioner (69%), a physiotherapist (49%), or a chiropractor (40%).


CONCLUSIONS
Practitioners treating golfers with a history of lower back injury should evaluate the golf swing follow-through to identify potential causes of aggravation to the lower back. Targeted measures such as spinal manipulative therapy, soft tissue and back exercise, and conditioning programs to assist the strength and mobility of the golfer could then be implemented.
McHardy
Andrew J
AJ
Student, Macquarie Injury Management Group, Department of Health and Chiropractic, Cronulla, NSW 2230, Australia.
Pollard
Henry P
HP
Luo
Kehui
K
Br J Sports Med. 1992 Mar;26(1):63-5
1600459
Phys Sportsmed. 1982 Jul;10(7):64-70
29267100
J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2003 Oct;33(10):557-71
14620785
BMC Health Serv Res. 2003 Dec 23;3(1):24
14693035
Am J Epidemiol. 2004 Jan 15;159(2):204-10
14718223
J Chiropr Med. 2005 Autumn;4(3):135-43
19674655
J Sci Med Sport. 1999 Oct;2(3):253-65
10668762
J Epidemiol Community Health. 2002 Feb;56(2):115-8
11812810
Med Care. 1997 Jan;35(1):70-6
8998204
Am J Prev Med. 2003 Feb;24(2):120-7
12568817
J Clin Epidemiol. 1997 Oct;50(10):1129-36
9368521
Sports Med. 2006;36(2):171-87
16464124
Am J Sports Med. 1996 Sep-Oct;24(5):659-64
8883688
J Clin Epidemiol. 2005 Jan;58(1):103-5
15649678
Phys Sportsmed. 1990 Mar;18(3):122-6
27464054
Am J Sports Med. 2003 May-Jun;31(3):438-43
12750140