"Tom has been a key addition to the PGA Tour sports medicine staff, especially at The President's Cup, where his ability and personality have earned the respect of all our players."
—Jack Nicklaus
Medical studies consistently show that 80-90% of the American public will suffer from lower back pain that will require some form of treatment at some time in their life. Whether this probability is enhanced because most people are overweight, do not exercise, or because our ancesters decided to ambulate on two legs instead of four, the issue is real and you certainly can expect to be challenged by it.
To minimize the chance of back pain preventing a good round of golf, take a couple of minutes the next time you arrive at the golf course to do these simple exercises.
First, while standing behind the golf cart, place one leg across the front of your body and rest it on the back of the cart. Hold that position as you gently rotate your torso in the opposite direction until you feel a light lower back stretch. Hold 30 seconds, then reverse and do the other side.
Secondly, while sitting on the golf cart seat, cross the right leg in front of your body and grasp it at the thigh (just above the knee) with the left hand. Your right hand should be holding onto the back of the golf seat to stabilize your body. Pull gently and hold the right leg with the left hand until you feel a stretch in the right lower back. Hold 30 seconds, then reverse positions, using your right hand on your left leg.
You can do these as often as necessary throughout your round to improve your lower back flexibility. For best results and to minimize the probability of lower back pain throughout the golf season, do these exercises daily at home, 2-3 repetitions, 30 second hold each repetition. They can be done by simply using a kitchen chair instead of a golf cart. The key is frequency since many daily demands tend to tighten the lower back. Otherwise, you may have to learn to play golf on all fours!
