Golfers and Bad Backs
If you follow pro golf, you've seen the reports this week that Annika Sorenstam is out with what is reported as 'one ruptured and one herniated disc in her back'. If you've ever had a ruptured disc you know she won't be back playing in a few weeks as was widely reported. I've had both a ruptured and a herniated disc (not the same disk by the way). Unless there's a new miracle procedure that's been discovered in the last week, I'm predicting she won't be back this season - if the diagnosis in the news reports is accurate.
That's tremendously unfortunate for Annika and the LPGA Tour. Things were just getting interesting with Lorena Ochoa making a serious effort to replace Annika as number one. A dual for the top spot was just what the Ladies' Tour needed to give it the excitement it currently lacks. I wish Annika a speedy recovery. A bad back is debilitating because you need your back to do most everything. If you've got a bum arm or leg, you can usually isolate it enough to get on with some part of your life. With a ruptured disc you pretty much have to lie still.
As someone who's had back problems and back surgery, I'm interested to find out what her treatment will be and how quickly she can return to competitive golf. If you haven't noticed, bad backs seem to go hand in hand with playing golf. It's a little disconcerting if you love the game. You can't help but wonder if there isn't a better way to swing a golf club and not hurt yourself. It's really time that someone did a serious study on this topic. Look at the number of pro players who have had back troubles over the years. I'll bet more than a few of your golfing buddies have had them as well.
Looking at Annika's swing, it seemed that it was quite back friendly. There was no inverted C finish. Intuitively, it seemed that her quick head release would put less stress on her spine. She's also young and in great shape. So shouldn't she have been less prone to back injuries than most? For the sake of all golfers, while respecting Annika's privacy, I hope someone follows and reports on the cause, her treatment and recovery. Annika, get well soon!
2 comments:
I have had herniated neck disk pain: NO FUN. Muscle relaxers didn't work. I always suggest that if it gets to the point where surgery is a serious option please consider acupuncture along with physical therapy first. It may sound silly at first but I speak from experience. It helped my herniated neck disk. At the risk of sounding like a spammer also consider a pillow I invented that alleviates my disk problem when the pain reappears. The SquidFace & ComfyRest pillows. Lying on my back or facedown it corrects the herniation and alleviates the pain. It helps people with back pain also. It is strange but it works wonders. Good luck, Bob www.SquidFace.com
Comfyrest, I agree that surgery should be the LAST option. If you find the right therapy and are faithful to exercises, like those in the Robin MacKenzie books, your body can repair a herniated disc.
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